WIADCA delivers the Goods to Steelband and Mas Fraternities

No singing - “You’re a mean one Mr. Grinch” - to WIADCA

‘Queen’s Park Savannah’ scenario Coming to Brooklyn?
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New York - “Chestnuts roasting  on an open fire - Jack Frost nipping at your nose.”  Ooops!  Got caught up with the moment.  Well, what do you expect with the city blanketed with snow from the weekend storm and seasonal lights and decorations  everywhere.  In the spirit of the season, indeed, one would have expected the annual West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA) award ceremony to be a festive occasion.  On the contrary, it was quite subdued.

Everyone knows how that famous Christmas song goes - “You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch!”  And for a moment it looked like Mr. Grinch was about to get his release from centuries of “bad talk.”  A permanent replacement seemed eminent for that mean old grouch.  But with a mere four days to spare before Christmas, the West Indian American Day Carnival Association held its award ceremony at Brooklyn’s Borough Hall and avoided Christmas purgatory.

In fact When Steel Talks (WST) reported early last month, the extreme displeasure among the steelpan music community with the then-announcement that the expected prize monies won, were not available to be paid out to the winners.  WST also - in an opinion piece - outlined some major shortcomings of New York steelband management as it relates to this matter.

In a recent statement released by  WIADCA, Yolanda Lezama-Clark, president of the organization had expressed optimism that the association would come through with its financial commitment to the winning artists.  Also in that statement, Lezama-Clark said full cash awards would be forthcoming at the ceremony.

WIADCA delivers

WIADCA did not disappoint; as advertised, prize monies were handed to all the winners of New York Carnival 2009 who were present.  On hand was a handful of masquerade and steelband organizations that included top prize winners Sesame Flyers International and  Pan Sonatas Steel Orchestra.  Sesame Flyers International won Band of the Year for the 12th consecutive year for their colorful display of the theme -- Dazzle.  Top prize in the New York 2009 Panorama competition went to Sonatas Steel Orchestra for their rendition of Bandoleros as arranged by Yohan Powell.  Also on hand was WIADCA president Yolanda Lezama-Clark and Brooklyn Borough president Marty Markowitz.


Polite - but not Happy

As the far less-than-excited attendees piled into the dimly lit courtroom at Borough Hall, they walked past large portraits positioned at 90 degrees next to each other, of US President George Washington and US congress woman Shirley Chisholm.  This presented an interesting set-up for the following proceedings.  As one major mas person put it to When Steel Talks:  “the money is already spent,” and went on further to explain that she had already “placed the necessary orders for next year’s presentations.”  So there was nothing to jump up and down over the late receipt of prizes.

Management of Steelband and Masquerade organizations, WIADCA leadership & the Brooklyn Borough President at Brooklyn Borough Hall

One rather annoyed and disillusioned pan person said they could have easily picked up their check at WIADCA’s offices, and they did not need to come to the ceremony to do that.  If the truth be told, the event consisted of lots of clicking and picture-taking and somewhat polite smiles, for WIADCA to feature, once again, in the next year’s commemorative magazine put out by the organization themselves, and to show off to their sponsors.  Which in fact has nothing to do with the economic reality of the prize recipients - the crude fact being that each “prize” received was in fact a mere drop in the bucket - especially in the case of the competing steelpan music organizations - to what they had each doled out in advance, in an effort to bring to life their respective mas and steelband presentations for the enjoyment of the masses.

In the case of the steelband panorama championship, the question asked by many, is “why can the prize monies not be delivered on stage at the conclusion of the steelband music panorama competition?”  After all, this is being done in Trinidad & Tobago - the home of the steelpan.  Sponsors/proponents of prizes valued at tens of thousands of dollars, must consider ways to balance contestants’ valid need for reassurance, and indeed their right - about their [sponsors] ability to fund promised prizes - and thus the cost of ensuring payment.

Alternately, the organizers of the competition can consider purchasing an insurance policy to guarantee the prize money.  Or, as is good business practice - funds can be placed in a private escrow account.  It is illegal in many places to commence a competition reputedly with prizes at stake - without the award/monies placed in an escrow fund.  In any regard this is something that is solely within the domain of the participants, sponsors and show promoters.

Queen’s Park Savannah in Brooklyn - or Robbery in broad daylight - Markowitz spills the beans

One of the more interesting discourses or revelations of the night came from Brooklyn Borough president Marty Markowitz, (who often jokes that he is a ‘displaced Trini’) when he alluded to the fact that he was actively seeking to utilize the future downtown Brooklyn arena slated to be built for the NBA’s (National Basketball Association) New Jersey Net’s - as a place where the carnival competitions will take place.  In fact, Mr. Markowitz - speaking much more as an entertainment and talent director/agent for the future arena than a Brooklyn Borough President - called the new arena “our Queen’s Park Savannah.”   The Queen’s Park Savannah is the largest open green space located in Port-of-Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, with a perimeter of a little over two miles.  Markowitz went on further to say the arena should be completed in late 2011 and would boast a seating capacity of 15,000 to 18,000 paying attendees for the carnival competitions.

While Markowitz said it was not his decision to make and alluded that it was WIADCA’s prerogative, or up to the community to make that assessment of such a development/change, there was no dissent from the WIADCA leadership present.  From what appeared to be that tacit agreement with Brooklyn Borough President Markowitz by WIADCA through this ‘peak’ into what appears to be serious consideration to ‘relocate’ the carnival and related activities - it was safe to assume that Markowitz himself would not have gleefully made public such a vision, and at such a public affair - had there been any doubt as to the receptiveness of the idea by WIADCA.

One prominent mas organizer and member of the New York cultural intelligentsia present at the award event spoke to When Steel Talks and vehemently objected to this notion and concept of the carnival moving out of its original and supporting community, Crown Heights and Eastern Parkway - to be housed, or end up, in a downtown arena for 15,000 to 18,000 ‘paying patrons in an arena.’  She went on further to pose the question “who are these paying arena attendees, and where will they come from?”

This announcement by the Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz raises many issues and concerns about displacement - physically and monetarily - from the stake holders of the event -- the community -- and its future.

What wrong with this picture?

Here is what we know - the scenario.  The New Jersey Nets, currently a horribly-performing NBA franchise (who may very well set a new NBA record for losing) is going to move into a new stadium that is being built for them with a projected completion time of about late 2011 in Downtown Brooklyn.  This, while the Labor Day Carnival, which has generated billions for New York city over the years, will not be getting its own entertainment center.  With the money the carnival has been generating, one would think they would have built a “Carlos Lezama Entertainment Center” on Utica Avenue and Eastern Parkway by now, with another one on Church and Nostrand Avenues with plans for a third.

Instead - they are going to “rent” some time in the new home of the New Jersey, soon-to-be New York Nets.  Does this not call for a carnival route change out of the community and off Eastern Parkway?  So instead of people saying “look the band coming” - people from communities of the pan players, mas and costume builders and masqueraders will scream “look the bands gone!”  Also gone will be what little economic and financial benefits that filter directly into the pockets of the thousands of Crown Heights community residents - from the carnival and related activities.  Who will be the ‘vendors’ in the arena? 

And let’s not hold the ‘basket explanation/bland assurance” that will flow from the lips of the city officials:  that the Crown Heights community putting on the show, will benefit even more with the flagship parade along Eastern Parkway being restricted to the downtown arena for paying patrons only.

As there are obviously deals already being made, one has to ask: who is negotiating on behalf of the steelband fraternities?  It seems imperative that the New York steelband franchises get their lawyers and business agents into the mix ASAP and get details in writing.

Stay tuned...

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