BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – MARCELLA LIBURD, Minister of Health, Social Services, Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs with responsibility for Carnival, said Shannon Hawley did an excellent job as Chairperson of Carnival.
On Freedom FM’s Talk Show Programme ‘Issues’, Liburd said that she will not comment about Hawley’s recent resignation but that she brought a lot of energy, enthusiasm, and dynamism to the committee.
“Shannon did an excellent job and I wish her all the best,” Minister Liburd said. “I tried to get her to take back the resignation… we’re still open to that if she wants to and if she doesn’t then that’s fine.”
On Tuesday, April 17, SKNVibes learnt that Hawley had resigned from her post as Chairperson of Carnival which she held from September 2011. This she confirmed via a telephone conversation with this media house.
She also said that she was traveling the same day and would be unable to do an interview at that time.
In response to a question on whether the resignation may have been prompted by the Committee being unable to pay the participants of Carnival, Minister Liburd said that she would not comment on that issue.
“Committee issues are committee issues. So I would not comment. If Shannon wants to comment that’s fine. In any organization people are not going to see eye to eye on every single thing and on every single process, and every single system, and the Carnival Committee is no exception,” she said.
SKNVibes came across Hawley’s alleged resignation letter which was sent to the Minister on April 16.
The letter started out by stating she had indicated to the Minister her dissatisfaction with the final accounting of National Carnival 2011/2012.
“Three months ago in my capacity as Chair of National Carnival with the ultimate responsibility for the finances of the Committee. I requested a reconciliation of Accounts of National Carnival, however to date the Carnival Committee under my leadership as Chairperson has been denied the courtesy of any information relating to the Accounts,” the letter stated.
She said she has been denied information relating to the accounts of:
1)Gate receipts and Ticket sales for all shows
2) Payouts and expenses relating to Carnival, including shows
3) Payouts made by your Ministry on behalf of National Carnival
4) Sale and expenses relating to Carnival Merchandising
5) Reconciliation of current accounts payable
6) Government’s input
7) Government’s proposed payment plan of monies owed by National Carnival
She also stated that over the past few months she has been humiliated by her inability to communicate to suppliers of goods and services to Carnival as to when they should expect payment.
And that most of the individuals and businesses which have not yet been paid have participated in Carnival in good faith and depend on payment for their everyday financial survival.
“This is of great embarrassment to the volunteers of the National Carnival Executive Committee and should be as well to your Ministry.
“Each Committee member went over and above their call of duty in an effort to ensure that Carnival 40/40 would be a success from commencement to conclusion and it is painful that now festivities are over, control over decision making regarding payouts is left solely in the hands of your Ministry,” Hawley stated.
She cited that her inability to complete her role as Chair is due to the lack of communication, respect and cooperation by the Ministry responsible for Carnival and has caused her to appear professionally untrustworthy and consequently affected her business dealings apart from Carnival with Suppliers.
“In light of this I hereby tender my resignation as Chair of National Carnival effective immediately. I will be in a position to hand over all Carnival related documentation over the course of the upcoming weeks and I look forward to providing any operational assistance to the Committee if so required.”
Several persons who participated in Carnival, including folklore groups, calypsonians, bands, back-up singers and others have been coming out in the public stating they have not received monies for services rendered during Carnival 40/40.
