LAUNCHING – POSTER & VIEW CARDS – VINCY MAS 2008

I wish to extend a warm welcome to you all – to this special occasion of the Launching of the Poster and the View Cards for VINCY MAS 2008.   This event has become a landmark occasion for the CDC , ushering in another level of the promotion and marketing of VINCY MAS at home and abroad.

As always, the Poster serves as a bold Announcement of the upcoming festival.   The Platinum and Super-Platinum partners for VINCY MAS 2008 are  credited on the border of this very eye-catching Poster.   They are Ministry of Tourism, the National Lotteries Authority, Cable & Wireless (St. Vincent) Ltd,  St. Vincent Brewery, LIAT and The Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China on Taiwan.

We are very appreciative of the commitment and investment which has been made over the years by these institutions, and we thank them whole-heartedly for the confidence they have placed in the CDC and in our festival - VINCY MAS.

As in the past, the View Cards serve as  a principle promotional tool providing the dates and program of events for the National Festival on the whole.

They are designed in such a way that they can be addressed and mailed  to anyone, anywhere in the world.  These would be available  for public access at the Airport, Ministry of Tourism, and the Office of the Carnival Development  Corporation – Victoria Park .  Perhaps  I can also ask the Platinum  & Super-Platinum  Sponsors to carry these for distribution in their various offices.

Our intense promotion  and marketing which began in September 2007 at the NY Labour Day Celebrations  and in Trinidad have already began to produce dividends. 

Recently,  the CDC has been contacted by a group in Trinidad, who have already chartered the vessel  MV CARIBBEAN ROSE, to bring a contingent of  300 persons accompanied by a steelband to participate in VINCY MAS.

Furthermore, the Organising Chairperson of that group, has since revealed that two other steelbands are also exploring the possibility of arranging  a similar charter to bring their bands and come to VINCY MAS.

From NY,  the group which is called “Foreign-Based”  has been in touch with us,  indicating that they would be here,  as a  larger contingent than  last year.   They have also committed their participation in the Monday Street Party, as they did in 2007.

It is obvious therefore, that the CDC has not been silent.  We have been working on the heels of the success of 2007.  The number of persons who came to VINCY MAS then, was comparable with those of 2006, and this is in spite of the travel challenges of 2007.  It is our belief therefore, that for 2008, we could surpass that target.

To overcome the constraints  of air travel and its connections, persons within the region are going all out, to make alternative plans to be here for what is readily known as the  Hottest Carnival in the Caribbean.

Our Vincy Soca Music over the last few years has been a driving force in making  VINCY MAS Hotter than Ever.  This was so evident at the Trinidad Carnival this year, where our artistes like Jamesy P. Zola, Problem Child, Luta  had tremendous impact on the circuit.

Their music was heavily featured in Fetes, as well as on the road.  Surely,  credit must be given to our Soca artistes who continue to augment the promotion of  Vincy Mas in this positive way.

We will continue to engage a number of networks: - radio, television  and print media – nationally and regionally .

 We know that the competition is keen, as you have seen recently in the  20/20 Cricket TV commercial breaks,  where Antigua is Already advertising their festival  which comes after our Carnival.   We certainly do not have the ‘purse’ of the Antiguan CDC.  As you probably are aware,  this type of  Television advertising is extremely costly and lies outside of our  financial realm at this time.

But, we will continue to work with the Ministry of Tourism, Youth and Sports to strategize and market VINCY MAS  with the budget which is available.  This budget is $300,000.00EC for regional and international marketing,  and lies within the Ministry of Tourism.  Therefore, the CDC will need the full working collaboration of the Ministry  of Tourism to gain the most mileage for the benefits of VINCY MAS to this economy.

Inkeeping with a promise made by the CDC, on Saturday January 26^th,  2008  a Public Consultation was held  to solicit ideas from interested parties.

That event was well attended,  and received  the participation of persons exploring new ideas for Marketing, Promotion, Shows, Street activities, and the Production of Mas, Calypso and Pan with the assistance of a number of capable Facilitators.

We must all realize that it is not possible to integrate everyone’s ideas and rectify all issues in a single sweep.   But the CDC will do its best to build upon the recommendations,  as is feasibly possible. 

Certainly,  there is a major role that everyone can play, in that we continue to urge persons do their part in assisting the country with the ongoing promotion of VINCY MAS. 

As many people as possible could begin by sending  these very appealing souvenir View Cards to friends and relatives  abroad – since the influx of people for VINCY MAS is the  biggest thrust to our economy.  We can all play a role in helping to make this truly, the Hottest Carnival in the Caribbean.