CDC Seeks Strong Working Relationship with Private Promoters for Vincymas, Small says 

By Admin. Updated 5:31 p.m., Tuesday, 29 April 2025, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

The newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Carnival Development Corporation (CDC), Mr Rodney Small, has stated that the CDC wishes to establish a strong working relationship with private promoters for Vincymas 2025.

In an interview with One News SVG on 29 April, Mr Small was asked whether St Vincent and the Grenadines should follow the example of other countries by requiring private promoters to pay a fee to the CDC in order to host events during the carnival period.

The nation’s carnival, styled Vincymas, will be held this year from 27 June to 8 July, with an official launch on Saturday, 10 May.

In response to the question regarding fees for private promoters, Mr Small, who was appointed in February 2025, said:

“It is our vision and our hope that our promoters would see the benefit of paying a licence fee. I mean it was a conversation from a long time ago. This is a conversation that comes up from time to time.”

“But before we get there, as I said earlier, I want the promoters to understand their role and the CDC to understand their role and we all could be on the same page, around the same table, seeing Vincymas as a product that belongs to all of us and it’s not us and them, but it’s all of us. You understand? All of us who are making up this wonderful festival. So there’s no pull and tug where I wonder if I should pay my $200 for my licence fee,” he said, referring to a hypothetical situation in which a fee is implemented.

At present, there is no licensing fee in place for private promoters wishing to host events during Vincymas 2025.

“It should be a thing that it is automatic because I’m also contributing to this beautiful festival. Because at the end of the day, if we say there’s no carnival, we’re not having carnival. That’s a whole different thing,” he added.

“So for me and the vision I also have where that is concerned with the whole private promoters conversation is for us to have some sense of belonging and for there to be a working relationship where both entities respect each other and understand the role that they play in this festival,” said the CEO of the statutory body responsible for organising the carnival.

In recent years, there has been public discussion about whether private events held on certain key CDC show days detract from the traditional carnival experience.

However, Minister of Culture Carlos James stated publicly in April 2025 that there needs to be greater collaboration between private promoters and the CDC.

Minister James said:

“It’s not a competition; it’s a collaboration. When I leave a private promoter’s event, I can take that wristband and go into the park where there is a Vincymas/CDC-organised event. We cooperate and we share that platform and the space that is available … it can be done.”