Tourism Minister Denise Charles-Pemberton has announced that the Government of Dominica has approved a budget of close to $1 million for the hosting of Mas Domnik ‘The Real Mas’ 2024. She made the announcement during the first Carnival press conference for 2024 held at the Old Mill Cultural Center on Wednesday.
“The Dominica Labour Party Government, our headline sponsor for Carnival, has approved a budget of almost $1 million for the hosting of this year’s Carnival,” she revealed.
Charles-Pemberton continued, “My hope is that in the future the private sector can be more combinable partners.”
She described Dominica’s Carnival as the most original in the region as the government has preserved its customs and integrated modern aspects to ensure that patrons have an unforgettable, real Mas experience in Dominica. Furthermore, the minister requested that all groups participating in the opening parade and on Carnival Monday and Tuesday, please make a special effort to be punctual.
“Let’s show the world that the opening parade this year will be talked about for years to come,” she stated. “We can achieve this if we all make that special effort to be on time.”
Charles-Pemberton added, “And as we discussed our Carnival product, last year I appointed a Carnival taskforce to review our Carnival product and made recommendations for its improvement, including the date of Carnival.”
She thanked the taskforce led by Gregory Riviere for their feedback and looked forward to working with them for this year’s Carnival. She went on to state that a tourism consultant will lead discussions with various groups to determine the best way forward.
“One thing is clear, if we want to drive numbers some things have to change,” Charles- Pemberton noted. “Then, there is a question of how many openings of Carnival should we have?”
Currently, the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF) is Dominica’s biggest festive event. However, she indicated that as of now Carnival attendance plateaued at around 6000 visitors, except in a reunion year.
She believes that the events and festivals pillars have huge potential, “if we all have a clear understanding of our goals.”
“Every sector will benefit from increased visitor arrivals from accommodation, taxis, tourism, vendors and it will certainly help make a stronger case for greater access to our destination,” she indicated.
She commended all the groups, organizers, artistes, small business owners, and companies whose combined efforts promise an impressive display at the opening parade scheduled for January 6, 2024.
“Let me commend our good sponsors, FLOW, Belfast Estate, Josephine Gabriel, J Astaphans, Dominica Lotteries Commission, Auto Trade, Fine Foods and Ocean Edge,” she stated. “We all know the extraordinary work that goes into the preparation of Carnival especially when it falls just after our Christmas décor as we packed away.”
Meanwhile, she encourages everyone to reduce negativity by increasing positivity in the New Year.
“Our resolutions for 2024 are to declare and speak positive words over our country,” Charles-Pemberton encouraged. “Let us reduce negativity by increasing positivity.”
She continued, “As a Christian nation, let the light of Christ shine through our words and deeds.”
She added, “My hope is that our dialogue in this nation will be elevated to show our maturity and our interest in making our Nature Island the most loved country in the world.”
Charles-Pemberton also prayed for an incident-free Carnival season in 2024 and to maintain Dominican’s reputation of having the safest Carnival in the world.
Denise here is something else that makes look stupid!
You see that yellow or gold jacket you are clocked into?
Dominica is actually a very hot and humid place where such attire is not required unless you are sitting in an ice box 24/7.
Even in places such as England and other places with winter and snow, such are not worn everyday.
At this moment in the winter, am outside wearing only a practical see threw sweater, at 2:05 in the afternoon!
I don’t understand how people like you can walk around in Dominica in heat and humidity sweetie and sweating, how can one live so uncomfortable?
I am suppressed Roosevelt did not call a press conference in his house to show the world he has two fire please in his house in a place like Dominica where temperatures rise to ninety plus degrees in the daytime, drops to approximately 75 degrees throughout the night!
Are you people stupid or something?
Well, I can see the reason why you are ecstatic; with a million corrupted dollars at your disposal, you can afford to buy plenty of stinking rope to weave into your scalp.
One wonder how you sleep at night with that pile of mold sweaty rope on head, an ordinary wigg can be removed at bedtime the weave can’t!
Are you not embarrassed to know you have become a modern day slave in bondage to the manufacturer’s of the bits of rope you have tied into your?
The theory goes “a leopard cannot change it color.” So, as hard as you are trying to be what you are not, only brings out all of the ignorance which lies within you.
The worst to happen to someone is to grow dissatisfy with the wày they are created.
You a born black with short hair due to a recessive trait, and there you or anyone with such disguised can do to change that.
You shall remain a wigg head for the rest of your life will remain a flat nose black country bookie girl you are!
Hahahahaha!
Before it was the private sector that used to mostly fund Carnival.
Denise….when d cable cart starting? d longest in d world? u all just does just wake up and skerrit giving all u a stupid talking pill to take and u all more stupid than him …coming and talk such rubbish……ministers of absolutely no common sense….geothermal is another 10 years to finish…when cable cart finish….2060….
Denise….when d cable cart starting? d longest in d world? u all just does just wake up and skerrit giving all u a stupid talking pill to take and u all more stupid than him …coming and talk such rubbish……ministers of absolutely no common sense….geothermal is another 10 years to finish…when cable cart will finish….2060….
The “Real Mas” of your great grandparents wasn’t a “Carnival Product” and it didn’t cost a penny.
Roger Burnett, What is the point you guys Ibo, and the rest trying to make,? does not Dominicans know sponsor or sponsorship brings big money to any country or company, my God anyone that follows that corrupt so-called UWP clowns have gotta be stupid to the bones. When there is Caribbean Carnival in London, which is very popular European from all over come to party the British government and the public sector sponsors millions into the Carnival so there you are sad people what is the problem with you arrogant minded idiots.
Carnival is supposed to be part of our culture. Our culture is who we are. Carnival today has veered off course. It has now become legalised use of obscenity, vulgarity, cussing, and very unbecoming conduct/ behavior.
This incumbent regime’s priorities are a convoluted mess. Priority areas like healthcare, economic development, infrastructure (feeder roads, proper drainage, sewage systems, electricity, water, schools, police stations) et cetera, are neglected, while sewo, entertainment, overseas travel, personal investments are handsomely financed.
Public money must be used with the most scrupulous consciousness of good to the largest number of citizens.
A joke that man? One million
?
Each queen contestant needs about $15000.00 to prepare and perform so imagine that. Allu better go back to the drawing board with that pittance budget.
This government is going to bankrupt the country if it carries on spending like this. Where is the money coming fron? Where is the fiscal prudence? It’s going to end in tears and left to ordinary people to foot the bills.
$100,000.00 just a small % of the $B4.6 still hanging out there in the rain. Even that long Temu wick is all part of it. Give the people their money back. Les vo’le’
Dominica don’t have money no job no industry nothing to bring money in the county just the customs they hiting us hard to get money to do nonsense what are Dominicans doing is there eyes closed and their brain under there foot how can DOMINICA come up they behind like talon
Lets go Dominica more sewo ,a you people really serious thats what you guys looking for is a sewo.
No jobs everybody looking at each other for somthing,the government have money for sewo and they can not fix the feeder roads so the farmers can access their farm. Dominicans you all have to get out of that mess its 2024 if you all do’nt help you all self nobody gonna do that for you.
So what about Dominicans participation and support?
You make this sound like Carnival is an event primarily targeted at foreigners.
No real patriotic expression of culture……….just sewo and nasty business for us.
UWP Dominicans LIKE YOU do not appreciate anything good so, we cater for de foreigners. Go get a life, man.
“Respect is earned, not given” if you want to be respected, you can’t force people to respect you just because you want them to (Ayuel Monykuch); your behavior in Parliament is a reflection of your attitude and intellectual capacity; woman we all know that you and the “Star-girl of Stupidity” are cut from the same cloth; that budget is for you guys to continue to promote your “nasty business” entity which the Star-boy” has given his blessings. There are many Dominicans sucking salt who would do well with that 1-million $ to help them make ends meet.
For carnival and not even for sport, the T200 ICC. That’s something .
But what the hell I reading there? Government can hardly pay its bills. Oh but wait, just like the prize winners that are yet to receive their prizes, so shall it be this year