Festival and Events Manager, Val Cuffy has revealed that 2016 World Creole Music Festival (WCMF) did not make a profit, although it was one of the biggest festivals in terms of attendance.
However, he said, the festival did succeed in creating economic activity for Dominica.
Cuffy spoke at the first major press conference for this year’s WCMF held at the Dominica Festival’s Committee (DFC) office on Wednesday.
“The festival’s main aim is to create the economic activity in the country and that is what we succeeded at,” he said. “We did not make a profit last year.”
He said the government’s contribution this year towards the WCMF remains at $1.78 million and it the aim of the organizers to control the festival’s budget.
“We didn’t make a profit but it is always our aim to look towards the fact that we have to control this budget to the best way we can and I think at some point in time you will see a better fixture once the economic activity continues, once we get more persons into the park I think we will see the benefits in getting back with returns,” he noted.
He added, “With the increased budget we were able to identify artistes of great stature that we can bring and they do not come cheap, so we have to bring them into Dominica.”
He went on to say that although the DFC would like to make a profit but “like every other organization we have to pay back the Value Added Tax.”
“We have to continue to look at our budget and that’s why in terms of our negotiations with our service providers we always ask them to look at how best they can work with us,” Cuffy explained.
Cuffy stated that visitor arrival for the 2016 WCMF increased and attendance was one of the biggest.
“Last year was one of the biggest festivals in terms of attendance,” he revealed. “Our numbers increased last year.”
Meantime, Marketing Executive at Discover Dominica Authority (DDA), Monique Jacob said during the week of the festival last year Dominica received 6,659 stay over visitors, with over 3,000 arriving two days before the festival.
She also stated that for the festival in 2014 there were 5,405 stay-over visitors.
Jacob believes that what contributed to the increase of stay over visitors last year was, “the return of the festival and promotion of the festival.”
She stated that the key target markets for the festival are the French West Indies.
“We also go out to Antigua, St Maarten, St Lucia, Barbados, Trinidad, USVI, North America, Europe,” Jacob noted.
The 20th edition of the World Creole Music Festival is slated for October 27-29 at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium in Roseau
My opion is this, there should be no festival this year but next year have a grand festival for the reunion but in the mean time take this year to evaluate and plan properly.
I bet is not Val that is not making any money and does all this work for charity.
Its only in Dominica,These people are total failure,They are rewarded for failure.The whole crew should be fired .
Stop give complimentary! All minister and their nenen have free ticket. Start limiting it, let people start to spend their money. $1200 salary earners buying their season ticket yet $4000 and more cannot buy theirs?
Allu will never make profit like that.
Val is a master operator with words.
There is such a thing in Economics called Profit, Loss or Break Even.
Mr. Cuffy you need to tell us exactly what it is: profit, loss or break-even.
Val with no due respect …..
1. Tell us the ticket sales over the years. If VAT is the problem then you would see a drop in sales since it is the PATRONS THAT PAY THE VAT;
2. Correct me if I am wrong, but aren’t you allowed to claim the VAT you paid against what you collected?
3. Cut down on all those trips to market the festival; by now you all should know who comes from what countries and focus your attention there. This is 2017 and a well produced video used to bombard these markets will do the trick.
4. I think the Comptroller of Inland Revenue needs to take you to task for that irresponsible statement on the VAT
20 years running and the festival can only bring in 6 thousand people. A lot is missing. I visited last year and will probably miss the next 5 because every time I go, it feels like another let down. Performances were lacking and not worth the cost of travelling to be there. I was especially disappointed with Timaya and the 10 to 15 minute nonsense he gave. I wonder how much he got paid. It’s a shame to come all the way from North America or the UK to see an African artist and get a ten minute of a big lady dancing.
If you want this festival to be successful, target the people who pay for entertainment and then deliver on that entertainment. Stop paying a lot of money for mediocre performances. It’s a “World” festival.. Isn’t it?
Why isn’t the WCMF disclosing the loss for 2016 festival? If you can’t recover the vat paid on imports/purchases, how will the festival benefit?
The WCMF did not make a profit in 2016 and it’s still in business? Statement being made boldly because those in charge of it’s success are honest with themselves and the D/can public the records will reveal that since the WCMF’s existence it’s hardly made a year in / year out profit.
My heart goes out to all those who make an effort to make sure that Nights 1,2,& 3 goes well, The Government of Dominica via DDA, DFC & DASPA, all the team players, of course dont forget the Police and all the security teams of which Protection One inc is proudly part of.. But Mr. Cuffy it is time for you to Embarrass all those who profit big time and a so stingy when it comes to sponsoring…
I dont want to be too forward but it is also time that you guys find a venue, a permanent venue like the one they built in sxm so that every time it have function half of the budget will not go into ground preparation.
We need a fixed location.. a real carnival city. Protection will secure it all year round and we can sponsor the festival in a more tangible way.
It’s one thing if a profit is not made but how did the increase in attendance impacted local restaurants, bars, hotels, taxi drivers, retail etc? At least if we have this data we can use it to our advantage to motivate people that there is a profit somewhere. Also this data can be used in marketing because accomplishments of any kind works.
You are right brother, they keep saying oh it is local business that is benefitting. But without solid data to verfify this people like Val are just pissing in the wind. I’m sure he gets compensated alright. Why do we have to subsidize a racket like that?
The government is spending millions in all aspects of the economy , the people who are running these enterprises are running them like mom and paps grocery stores. $1.78 million was given and we did not make a profit . That same story is repeated every where . In Europe and the us for example , the sports and entertainment industry is a well coordinated revenue generator for the economy . Estimates puts earnings at $73 billion money pours in from four main revenue streams, gate receipt , media rights, sponsorship , and merchandise . When people come to dominica , what are they leaving with . The money the government is spending should offset the gross national product . We must do a better job running businesses in dominica . Money is being spend all over but the results can be better . We have well educated smart people who should know what to do . There are models all over the world that we can follow , twick-them and make it out own.
I couldn’t take you seriously with your “twick” them…
You all want to use american vernacular and you cannot even spell it? stupes!
AR…when I saw “twick”, my first thought was: what word is that? Then it occurred to me what the person meant.
A small colony like Dominica, cannot afford to pay foreign exchange for international acts without sponsors and big business playing their part. Seeing that the festival in itself is not educative but carnal festivity,Gov’ts subsidizing may have to come to an end, the villages are practically left out of directly impacting the festival. Why not have local bands perform in their villages, while giving the villagers a sense of belonging? i believe in this juncture, the opposing political parties on the island, can play their part. Bob D.
I don’t see any reason why the festival cannot serve both objectives. If you convince yourself that is not designed to make a profit then it never will because you will not position yourself to make a profit.
As someone said there is no reason why you need to go to daybreak for 3 days. By now this festival should be running like a well oiled machine and turning a profit.
One thing I did not read was the actual impact this festival has on the economy. These are all measurable statistics. You should have a good handle on whether it has the kind of impact worthy of a $1.7 million injection by the government. I read a lot of fluff but few hard figures. In any business venture the bottom line is what counts whether it is to economy in general or the festival in particular.
That is the mind-set Caribbean people have: unless the sun don’t shine up on their faces they didn’t have a good time.
Why do you think that silly “breakfast fete” is even a thing??
The Penville 5 came from a “day break” jam.
I rest my case.
It may be that WCMF is not intended to really make profit, and that’s not a bad thing as long as that’s the PLAN. Do you recall the Reggae Sound Splash 1980′- 90’s? Well it did not make profit for years, subsidised by Jamaican gov’t, was not intended to make profit but I’m sure they would appreciate if it did. But they had a PLAN, to bring Reggae to every corner of the world. And that it did! Until it served its full usefulness then discontinued.
WCMF requires thinking outside the box. By now it should bring in and pay big acts but sell it to other prospective musical acts as a great vehicle to SHOWCASE their talents. They will come. It seems WCMF is more popular than the organizers think. They boast 6 -thousand people, that’s not much. But with a million dollar budget the DFC should already consult with others around the world that do these festivals, there are lots, for instance South By SouthWest, others in Europe that manage over 100 thousand PEOPLE at any given time.
Thanks Val Cuffy. No news is good news, i`d rather have the truth, nothing but the truth, instead of the ducking, and convient untruth. Better late than never, it took 20 years, to tell us what we had already suspect. I concure, wit some of the suggestions rendered, if we are to really make a profit, ie less, mediocare, Bands, during the long intermissions, lets Raffle a new car or some other vehicle, if we can bring say Cassave,or TaboCombo, or Nasio Fontain, one major act, mixed during the three Nights, of action, instead of the recycling of the same old same old, we might be able to gage how we doing. But im happy to learn a new word, Econmic activities, neverthless, i`ll still be there with my one Hundred invited guess, spending approximatelytwenty Thousand $$$$`s towards our economy. One Day we shall make a profit, keep hope Alive.
Business can’t be run on hope. After twenty years, this activity should be generating substantial profit, not only in the presumed (since no data was presented) increase in economic activity because ‘Ma lagon’ sell an extra bottle of beer during the festival, but in terms of dollars and cents. The government should no longer have to be dumping money’s which the country needs into an enterprise that is failing. This is tantamount to carry water with a basket.
As a former show promoter, I know there is money to be had in this endeavour, but I also know that there are lots of thieves enjoying a free pay day who present themselves as patriotic employees whilst lacing their pockets with things that are not rightfully earned.
My simple suggestion is to revamp the entire body. Another country would consider a forensic audit/enquiry into how the monies were spent. Obviously since VAL could not give data, one wonders whether there is any record. Change the approach, fresh ideas…
If no profit why keep on having it makes no sense to me,The entire labour party members and supporters get free passes,years since Dominica been hosting this and the same old results makes no sense.
Filthy conditions, danger of crime, and bad music won’t bring in tourists.
Amen, I will not risk walking or parking my vehicle in Roseau during the hours of darkness.
Lol. After almost a year, one is hearing that no profit was made. Lol. How can such a festival make a profit when practically its about free passes for big shots, headline sponsors, and every Tom, Dick and Harry?
This festival has potential to make millions but in a place like Dominica, where everything is free, what does one expect? THE only folks making profit are the big name artists who come make thousands in a minute….
Any right thinking Dominican, looking at the festival knows the product is good yet the big profit activity mindset is just not there.
Why be in business if one is not making a profit for services provided?
We have a world festival not a waste of money n scarce resources festival
Time to stop the greed.stop the freeness, stop giving government ministers n officials vip pass because they en spending a cent. Stop giving those sponsors tickets like hot bread.
Every cent counts… Every dollar saved matters.. If no profit, stop festival. Nonsense bout Fest was…
It did not make a profit but Dominicans on a hold greatly benefited and that’s what matters. The taxi drivers, farmers, people who work at hotels, vendors, restaurants and their employees. And then when all these people get their pay cheques they can shop at businesses around Roseau and island wide
Krysta, give us the figures please.
Where I getting it? You ass. Use some common sense. Did you do any basic business subjects in your early high school days?
If after 20 years you all cannot manage a basic activity like this to contribute economically to the country and make a recognizable profit it should be band and management gailed
When the govt stop getting 1000 tickets the festival will make a profit…. Simple.. So damn simple!!!!
If there was no profit why do we still have a festival? For years now, the festival has not been making a profit. Stop give all those free tickets. The ministers particularly can buy their tickets.
Common man…shame on DFC.
How can you make a profit when the contributions made by the government goes right back in giving complimentary tickets. You guys need to reduce the number of individuals going out on joy rides in the name of promotions. Start having a 3 year plan for the event instead of the last minute rush of line-up, therefore persons will plan accordingly.
And is people that afford the damn ticket that gets it for free ahhh magwaysa.. I agree with your comments my dear.
Paying the VAT is not a reason why the WCMF did not make a profit because the VAT was never yours to begin with. It was added on to all purchases on behalf of the government. If there was no VAT you would be in the same position. In any case the purpose of WCMF is not to generate profits but to generate visitors, traffic, commerce, etc. To the extent that it did that then it was a success. It is not a capitalist venture so do not judge it by those standards.
You are full of contradiction my friend. If it is not a capitalist venture why do we have performers big fees in U.S. dollars? This is nonsense. I do not want to subsidize a fete like that for people to enjoy at the tax payers’ expense, especially those gwo boug that get free tickets and, best seats and free food and drink. What would you call that, socialist? Well, I call that sponging off poor peoples back.
I couldn’t say it better myself. I agree that it is a “loss leader” meaning that the benefits are continually felt in every industry outside the venue and dates.
We have industry now? What industry, where?
That does not make sense. Why we keep doing this if it is costing us money. best you give the money awa and save us the headache. Government should never be involved in this. Let private business run it and see if they can make a profit.
To many free tickets to person that can buy tickets
Is it a matter that complimentary tickets for wives, girlfriends, sister in law, brother in law?
Also, is it true that from PM down, maybe even President, receive a minimum of ten (10) tickets that they give out…and to whom? Is there a track record that those complimentary tickets are not sold?? Who is monitoring? This is suppose to be profit making event and with the largest crowd ever on all three nights, what happened? Who is counting?
Is fat cats that getting good time and their own government paying for it. As if they don’t have enough perks already. You call that social justice? I call it disgusting .
Too many complimentary tickets..too many artists per night….less artists and cheaper tickets will bring in the local numbers..there is no reason for three nights of day break…by Sunday the park is empty, not from lack of tickets being sold, but patrons just cannot make it..just my 2 cents
And too much long space in between acts. I passed out last year. Stewps!
I agree, it is not at all professionally organized. I’m not going this time, fed up.
The festival commission does not have to make a profit however it would be prudent that the collective impact on the economy is measured and revealed publicly to justify the 1.78 million. It cannot be one big sewo financed by the government. Here are some things that could be measured. Incoming flights, hotel occupancy during that time, increase restaurant and other retail sales such as local brewery etc. Increased gasoline usage. The list goes on. The statistics division should, I hope have all this data so we could see where improvements or adjustments are needed. In the long run these increase would mean additional tax revenue for the government which also can be measured. This would tell us if the 1.78 is a wise investment. That’s what I expect of our leaders. It may mean the festival is paying itself through tax collected and even if festival commission not seeing profits it’s beneficial to the economy. If we cannot show then it’s just one big international sewo financed by…
You mean the same statistical division that cannot tell us exactly how many pounds were caught last year, while Drigo claimed that we exported 2 million pounds overseas. I doubt it.
If you read up you would notice that the event manager said that it increased economic activity which includes the things you wanted meseaured.
Madam he is complaining about VAT when vat is a tax collected by the government who in turn pump 1.78 million in the festival. Is that the VAT money being re invested? To many times officials come with claims and no supporting data and we believe. I need to see numbers and stats and this stats must be easily verified by checking the government agency responsible. I still do not see overall impact to economy up there. My guess is if Val had that info he would gladly share.
same dam story… clean house get new team players to grow this festival. point blank