PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – A group of promoters and entertainers say they plan to write the State-owned Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) asking it to withdraw its sponsorship of the February 18 concert featuring the American singer Beyonce.
Former chief executive officer of the Caribbean Prestige Foundation, Gregory Fernandes, who is among those involved in the effort to get TSTT to rescind its decision, said that they intend submitting the letter to the company’s CEO, Roberto Peon, on Wednesday.
Fernandes, speaking on local radio here, said that TSTT has already indicated that it would be reducing its funding to activities for the Carnival celebrations this year.
“Bringing Beyonce at this time puts more pressure on the industry,” he said, adding “Carnival activity is a very high risk and a lot of bands suffer high losses”.
Fernandes said that the group of promoters and entertainers “want to discuss with TSTT the position they have taken to present Beyonce in concert so soon after Carnival and their decision to cut back and even pull sponsorship of Carnival events.
Fernandes also said according to media reports, the production cost for the Beyonce concert is in the vicinity of TT$10 million (US$1.4 million).
The Recording Industry Association of Trinidad and Tobago (RIATT) said it was also raising objection to the concert.
“The State making a $10 million investment to stage an artiste like Beyonce in Trinidad and Tobago is a very large investment,” said RIATT general secretary Fabien Alphonso in a press statement.
“Not using this occasion to initiate discussions on collaborations between Beyonce and any of our local flagship artistes would be considered a wasted opportunity as the Trinidad and Tobago Entertainment Company Ltd (TTENT) was established for this exact purpose.
“Furthermore, it’s unfortunate that TTENT is not engaged in the planning process of an event of this magnitude. This would have ensured an opportunity to position local music internationally via the current largest female performer in the world,” he said.
But Lisa Agard, executive head of Mobile and Legal Services at TSTT, said the company would be in breach of its contract with Beyonce if it discloses the cost for the concert.
’I can’t give you exact numbers, particularly with regard to what she is costing. Not because we have any reluctance to disclose it, but there are confidentiality provisions in her contract with us,’ Agard told a local newspaper.
But she insisted that her company’s involvement in other activities for the Carnival would not suffer as a result of the show.
’I can tell you that when you look at all of the things we are involved in whether in culture, sports or in the community generally in Trinidad and Tobago our expenditure on those far exceeds the expenditure we are going to incur as a result of this concert.’
’We have spent, we will spend and will continue to spend millions of dollars sponsoring many Carnival events. That commitment remains,’ she said.
Meanwhile, TSTT has confirmed that a company owned by West Indies cricket icon, Brian Lara, and star footballer Dwight Yorke, was one of the main contractors for the concert.
TSTT spokesman, Grame Suite said that LAY Management has been retained by TSTT to help in the coordination and logistics associated with the event, and Agard, said the company would assume responsibility for the venue minus stage, sound and lights when the country’s largest telecommunications provider signs the contract.
Public Utilities Minister Mustapha Abdul-Hamid is quoted in Wednesday’s publication of the NEWSDAY newspaper as ordering TSTT to produce a report over its expenditure for concert.
“On the matter of the expenditure, I have asked for the facts and for a report on what the facts are,” Abdul-Hamid told the newspaper.
The promoters say the most expensive tickets for the show, valued at TT$1,600 (US$266) have already been sold out and the Trinidad Guardian newspaper reported Wednesday that fans of the singer in Suriname have been paying as much as US$860 to travel to Trinidad to attend the one day event which is part of Beyonce Worldwide tour.
Ayeola/The Lime THERE JAMAICANS IN UNIVERSITY INT HE STATES WHO DO NOT EVEN KNOW TOBAGO IS A SEPARATE ISLAND FROM TRINIDAD ORRR CAN NAME AT LEAST 5 ISLANDS FROM THE CARIBBEAN FROM JUST THE SHAPE OF THE ISLAND..
TRINIDADIANS CRYING OVER THIS EVEN IF A LOT ARE PAYING FOR THE HIGH PRICE THE GOV IS STARTING TO DIG TAX PAYERS MONEY TO GET HERE ON THE ISLAND.. IN THE LONG RUN I HOPE IT WORK OUT 4 THE BEST.. BEYONCE GETTING PAYED 950,000 TO 1 MILLION A GIG. SHE LAUGHING ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK.
22 you make some sense. I lived in the states and I remember Janet Jackson was coming to Houston, the only way I was gonna be front row is if I didnt pay my rent or I won tickets on the radio.
Sometimes when people come on DNO to comment its like they just so excited to post they dont even pause to digest the story. You cannot compare Trinidad to Dominica. Trinidad has a population in the millions for starters…If the VVIP tickets have already sold out that tells me the cheaper tickets will sell too. cause guess what there are people who want VVIP that can’t get. Trinidad has an international airport so like the article said you can expect people to fly in for the show. Beyonce can’t go to every single island. so I am sure people from Barbados and Grenada and wherever else will attend once they can afford it.
Creole festival is a travesty…..thats a whole other topic but it boils down to good management and good market research. I just started school at UWI Mona and there are Jamaican university students who DO NOT KNOW WHERE DOMINICA IS, I am so not joking…and this is where we go to market Creole festival, where it gets a small write up in the local paper and no thought is given to it after that,,,and usually the write up is just to mention what Jamaican artist was performing.
Anyhow back to Beyonce. Nothing is wrong with having the show. But in light of the government reducing sponsorship for carnival events, I can see the reasons for the objections. Hopefully it will make them some money and go off without a hitch.
WELL!!!! ALL I HAVE TO SAY IF ITS AROUND CARNIVAL TIME!!! NO TO BEYONCE. COME BACK AROUND WHEN NOTHING IS GOING ON. I FEEL FOR OUR LOCAL BANDS THEY NEED THE MONEY MORE THAN BEYONCE. GIVE OUR BANDS A CHANCE.
That girl is fine!!
But I want Skerrit to invite Paris Hilton to Dominica – let her pay her own expenses and stuff.
Boss that girl would make mista go gaga! He would even resign and leave Dominica like King of England did abdicate D throne and cause Liz o be Queen up 2 now.
The promoters say the most expensive tickets for the. show, valued at TT$1,600 (US$266) have already been sold out.
That is teh cost of the most expensive tickets…Please read the full articles before your negative post…..What exactly it is that you are tell the DFC to take note about/of.
well 22 YEAROLD they did mention the highest ticket price would be (US $266) TT $1600,,, damn thats expensive,,, for us d/cans thats expensive,,, no why is it so,,,,its cause of our high cost of leaving with low salaries,,,,, remember in T&T these tickets are sold out n we are speaking of the expensive tickets,,,, so i guess these are the closest seats,,,,, lets not full ourselves,,,,,, d.a can have these artists perform BUT we would not have to advertise for our locals but for the french islands n other neighbouring isles cause those tickets would cost far beyond our means lol,,,,,,, but wats interesting is not beyonce herself but the resistance the organisers are getting from other organisations in the same business,,,,, thats good,,,, thats accountability,,,, thats keeping everyone in check,,,,, whereas in d.a everyone rocking the same boat,,,,, no resistance by another major body,,,,, therefore the cries of the people can’t be heard,,,,,,,
Hmmm, That really says something when someone can’t understand a descent news report..
the DFC should consider the possibility of Booking New International artists that are “Hot” in 2k10. I’m honestly tired of those same boring azz performers coming every year singing the same songs that everyone been hearing everyday.
first you killed agriculture now its your turn to burry it
i know that it is freedom of speech but please try not to sound that uneducated when making comennts, alot of people read these comments. It does not cost an arm and a leg to go to a concert in the states regualr prices start at $50 us and up the most being like $200 if u want a backstage pass !!! geeeez!!! and it a world creole music gestival why would they even want beyonce there??????
YO INTERESTING, how are you?? i guess you didn’t read properly….. the USD860 is for TRAVEL lol…gosh not ticket as in the show. read and understand…
they didnt mention the cost of tickets for the show. however it would be costly, cause here in the states it costs an arm and a leg,plus the other two and your head to go see any concert from any of these huge performers. and tickets are based on proximity of the stage and the audience. so ofcourse it would cost much. mentioning about the government of dominica if there were to be a concert as such in dominica might not bring enough income that would surpass the expenditure of these performers in order that they make a profit. although a lot of dominicans would show up, majority would feel bad in the sense that they cannot afford the tickets. i could be wrong but some survey would prove so or otherwise.
TnT is a very populated country as opposed to that of dominica, we look at factors such as income, population, age and many other factors. and if we are to weigh these with that of TnT, they have surpassed us on such a scale. so therefore it is up to them to decide whether or not they can actually go ahead with this.
in my opinion, Dominica is able to hold such concerts but are we fully ready??
Dominca Festivals Commission take NOTE: For CARNIVAL and CREOLE FESTIVAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As much as USD 860 for a ticket. If that nonesense were to happen in Dca, the voice of the people would be totally ignored and the expense Im sure our ‘wonderful’ government would probably absorb, as it does, suffering losses year after year at the expense of tax payers from creole festival partly because of these same fancy artists.
DFC and Invest Dominica! TAKE NOTE!
Im sure it would be a great show, but guess what, Beyonce’s spending money on one car or a weekend cruise is more than Dominica’s GDP.