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An open letter to the manager of Hot 97FM, Luke Boyea
Dear Luke,
HOT 97 is the undisputed champion of entertainment radio in SVG. Your management and your DJ’s must be commended for building such a powerful brand. I have absolutely no doubt that your team is an excellent one, well paid and happy to be working for your establishment.
Carnival is an event organised by the CDC that offers opportunities for all businesses to grow their revenue when compared to what happens during a normal time of the year. Your shows are well advertised, organised and attract massive crowds. Like all successful radio stations, show business helps to build loyalty, anticipation and market share. It is that market share which attracts prime advertising dollars.
So if we consider for one moment what could happen to any business if we don’t have Vincy Mas, we will see the impact on the business and the economy.
I have advocated several times that if we don’t build and protect our Vincy Mas, there are many other countries in the Caribbean who would eat our lunch. So I am advocating the “all hands on deck” approach, not only for the entertainment side of Vincy Mas but also most importantly on the DEVELOPMENT side.
The CDC needs your help to develop the DEVELOPMENT side of Vincy Mas.
Here is why:
1. HOT 97 has the listenership
2. HOT 97 has the biggest shows
3. HOT 97 has management expertise that can be tapped on.
4. HOT 97 has to ask the announcers to help the CDC to push the competition shows organised by the CDC
5. HOT 97 has to stop treating the competitive shows as competition for HOT 97-organised events.
I contend that if the “all hands on deck” approach is not pursued, the CDC will continue to see declining gate revenues, they will not be able to advertise Vincy Mas outside of SVG, less persons will come to experience what we offer and Vincy Mas will eventually decline.
We need to grow Vincy Mas. If we do HOT 97 and the other businesses will make more money. We have the undisputed “Hottest Carnival in the Caribbean” and we will all go away smiling happily ever after.
Your friend,
Fitz Huggins
The opinions presented in this content belong to the author and may not necessarily reflect the perspectives or editorial stance of iWitness News. Opinion pieces can be submitted to [email protected].
To hell with the CDC, if you have square pegs in round holes running carnival what to you expect.
Fitz, put your marketing skills to good use and stop begging, for hand outs on behalf of your government.
Wheel and coming again!!
Please, when last CDC release proper financial statements?
CDC has little accountability and merit, the public has lost trust and respect for that organization.
Why not offer Luke a substantial role/ position on CDC’s board? Mr Huggins the first move is yours to make, not Hot97.
This is an interesting piece by Mr. Huggins .How nice compliments for Hot 97 ..At the beginning of each carnival season Hot 97 is the main critic of the CDC with miss-information .What does get yo vex Each year they have same thing ..Wet Fete with one artist bagging our money out of here . And the patrons same thing .Not proper sprinkling system for patrons ..
Our big calypso artist .like Fya Empress and Monique are said they take the money out by the miss inform ..but they are born VINCY ..and who can promote our heritage and culture outside of Vincy
AND the CDC used Hot 97 voice to promote the semi finals show was the attendance any better ..Hey if this Saturday has rain all day The Park would be full I guarantee
Do mrs luke know that the cdc has the mandate to stop any show (privately ) organized during the carnival season
I think there is a level of naivity when comparing the running of a single fete to the operations of the CDC. At Hot97 we don’t have a myriad of stakeholders, undefined objectives, etc. The CDCs mandate needs to be explicitly stated, only the government can do this, before we can truly judge their performance. Are they meant to be self-financing, are they allowed to redefine the components of carnival, what does development mean, is carnival a tourism product, etc. Its an almost impossible ask of anyone under the current structure! YES the CDC could do more but nowhere near what people believe. At 97 we could bring a certain marketing expertise but only with clear objectives to work within. We could bring a youthful perspective, certain logistical management, etc but this isn’t going to transform anything without a wider mandate.
I don’t agree with Fitz that it is 97s job to do anything more in Carnival than what we are doing. I maintain that Carnival will occur, in some form or fashion, with or without the CDC. Because we have been successful doesn’t in itself mandate a greater responsibility – we help where we can and where asked. Government, whether we like it or not, has to show greater interest in Carnival! This hands-off approach is not working. When was the Carnival legislation last reviewed, when was the structure refined, etc. How can an executive function when it’s Board is made up of competing interest groups. When was the executive last changed? What is expected of CDC?
Let’s not just look for scapegoats.