Basseterre, St. Kitts - HUNDREDS were left disappointed when Carnival Chairman Sylvester Anthony cancelled the final major event on the calendar for the 2014/2015 Carnival activities, Cool Down Fete, after the event’s organisers were hours late with its preparation.
At around 7:30 p.m. last evening (Jan. 4), Anthony arrived at Timothy Beach and cancelled the event after it was running some five hours behind its schedule.
The Cool Down Fete was scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. but when SKNVibes arrived shortly after 4:00 p.m. the organisers were still putting the final touches to the stage and running wires.
At 6:30 p.m., it was observed that a generator was then being towed to the venue so that the sounds and lighting systems could have been powered. It took the organisers 15 minutes to fully power the lights.
At 7:30 p.m. when the Chairman arrived, he immediately proceeded to the stage and indicated to the band that the event was cancelled, at which time its members began to dismantle their equipment.
He, Anthony, later explained to several members of the small crowd that had gathered at the venue the reason for cancelling the event, to which many of them seemed pleased with the decision.
Anthony however indicated to SKNVibes that the fete should have started at around 2:00 p.m., noting that he had informed the organisers that they should have begun preparations from at least mid-day.
He indicated that it had happened on many occasions where they had missed the scheduled start time for events, which had resulted in pushing activities past their cut-off time.
Further, the Chairman said that officers from the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force were gathered at the location “since 2:00 p.m.” to provide security.
The disappointed crowd then made its way to the Frigate Bay Strip, where they could have continued in the party mood.
