BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – CHAIRMAN of the National Carnival Committee Noah Mills said he is unaware of the body no longer providing advertisements to Freedom FM and that he would launch an investigation into the allegation.
In a public statement aired yesterday (Dec. 19) on Freedom FM, Chief Executive Officer and owner of the radio station, Clement ‘Junie’ Liburd said: “The National Carnival Committee, led by its Chairman Noah Mills, has directed that no more advertisements are to be sent to Freedom FM.”
Liburd declared that he received the disturbing information yesterday morning via WhatsApp from a Carnival Marketing personnel, which stated that “Freedom FM was not to receive any more advertising”, adding that the message concluded that the informant stated they “were just following orders”.
As a colleague and knowing that media houses depend heavily on advertisements for their survival, SKNVibes first contacted the National Carnival Committee’s Marketing Coordinator, Jonelle Rawlins, to ascertain the authenticity of the allegation.
Rawlins denied the allegation saying: “No message was given to anyone stating that no longer will the National Carnival Committee be advertising with Freedom FM.”
This publication then spoke with Chairman Mills, who claimed to have no knowledge of such decision taken by the Committee.
“I am surprise to hear that Junie can go on the air and say that a Committee member gave him that information. If possible, I will find out which Committee member will have the authority to do that...to make such a decision or to communicate such a decision to him. So allow me to investigate and I will get back to SKNVibes.”
At press time, there was no word from Mills and a follow-up call was made this morning to Rawlins informing her that Liburd also stated that since receiving advertisement for the Soca Semi-Finals, no other was sent to his radio station.
“I am not responsible for sending out advertisements, but what I can say is that why would we still be paying Junie Liburd if no ads is being sent to him?” Rawlins said, adding: “I am not aware that ads are not going out to him; ads are going out to everybody. Noah has signed off the invoice to be paid for every single amount it supposed to be.”
When asked if the payment was for throughout the Carnival season, Rawlins responded in the affirmative.
However, according to Liburd, after not in receipt of any advertisement since the Soca Semi-Finals, when he asked for an explanation, Marketing said they “did not know”.
He said Freedom Fm then placed calls to Chairman Mills and the Minister responsible for National Carnival, the Hon. Shawn Richards about the decision to stop running ads/promos for NCC on Freedom Fm.
“Mills was unavailable and did not return calls. Minister Richards said he had no idea of it, as the day-to-day running of Carnival was the Committee’s responsibility. Minister Richards promised to look into this matter,” Liburd said.
He pointed out that early last week after realising that no advertisement came from the Carnival Committee over an extended period of time, calls were placed repeatedly to the Marketing sector without success.
“This vindictive and spiteful act by the NCC to take bread out of the mouths of Freedom Fm staffers is high handed victimisation. It comes on the heels of the NCC Chairman Mills controversial decisions with several Soca artistes, including the reigning Monarchs Sugar Bowl and Team Bagnall, over qualifying rules and criteria governing the Soca Competition. The artistes had taken a stand to defend their rights.
“The artistes held a press conference on Freedom Fm two weeks ago and took the Chairman to task for his unilateral decision making, his deception and egotism. In a subsequent telephone conversation with one of the Soca artistes who opposed him, Mills was trying to smooth the turbulent waters and bridge the gap between him and the Soca artistes. Mills reportedly said he would hold a press conference with Bowl and Bagnall anywhere else but Freedom Fm because, as he put it, Freedom was ‘anti Carnival’”, Liburd explained.
He continued: “Let the records show that since the inception of Freedom Fm in 2005, the radio station has been effectively promoting local music and been an ambassador for Carnival. Freedom has done press conferences, interviews and teamed up with ZIZ to cover Soca, Calypso, Queen Shows, J’Ouvert and Carnival Parades. Our radio DJs blaze the national music during their radio shows, parties, fetes and on the road. Most of the local acts in St. Kitts and Nevis come to Freedom to launch their CDs and music.”
On behalf of himself and staff members, the CEO expressed deep appreciation for the many calls to his radio station and the Facebook messages from their multitude of fans, family and supporters in “this development with the National Carnival Committee”.
