Carifesta artists still waiting on $$$

The Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts confirmed on Thursday that not all artistes/performers who participated in Carifesta 2019 have been paid.

Carifesta 2019 took place from August 16-25.

On October 31 Newsday reported that artists Amy Li Baksh and Darren Cheewah had complained about the late payment. Baksh said on Thursday that Cheewah had been paid, but was aware of other artists/performers still awaiting theirs.

In e-mail responses, the ministry said the delay had been caused by late invoices, the late receipt of funds, and incorrect names and sobriquets on artists'/performers' contracts.

This created a “need for greater checks and balances and due diligence to verify,” it said, but it is working to have outstanding payments made by the second week of December.

The ministry said it regretted the inconvenience caused to people who have not been paid as yet. Its accounting unit has processed and made as many payments as possible “to the last date and time allowed before the closure of the 2018-2019 financial year,” it said.

While the 2019-2020 budget has been passed, it added, funds are yet to be released to continue payments.