Suppliers still owed $6.4m from Tobago Jazz Experience

SUPPLIERS and other stakeholders who provided services for the Tobago Jazz Experience are still owed $6.4 million.

Tobago Festivals Commission Ltd CEO John Arnold revealed the figure on Wednesday during a virtual parliamentary Joint Select Committee sitting into local authorities, service commissions and statutory authorities.

The sitting, chaired by independent senator Dr Varma Deyalsingh, examined the operations of the THA’s Divisions of Food Security, Natural Resources, the Environment and Sustainable Development and Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation.

The Tobago Jazz Experience was held from April 20-23. It featured three shows: a gospel night at the Shaw Park Cultural Complex; Speyside Jazz; and the international night at the Dwight York Stadium, which featured headliners Boyz II Men.

At the sitting, JSC member Esmond Forde asked Arnold for an update on the stakeholders that are still owed money from the $12 million the commission received to execute the jazz experience.

Arnold replied, “We have an outstanding of about $6.4 million. That has been identified because it is to be paid. The division, in collaboration with the Division of Finance, Trade and the Economy will address that in terms of having that paid. And we hope that that will be in a short manner.”

Arnold said of the $12 million, the commission got a release of $3.1 million, “But we are awaiting the $6.4 million, which will take care of some of the outstanding payments that we have at this time.”

He added most of the outstanding sum would go to Tobago stakeholders.

Forde questioned the delay in payments, three months after the event.

“Quote, unquote, the small man is looking forward to some sort of payment. It is going into three months and I think they would like to know that they would have their payments made as a result of services performed at a particular time and period as the case might be. So you are, as an entity, as a division, you are going to ensure that that takes place very soon?”

Arnold said the commission is working assiduously with the administrator in the Division of Tourism to ensure the money is paid.

Forde, the Deputy Speaker and Tunapuna MP, also wondered about the reasons for the outstanding debt.

Arnold told Forde the commission waits on releases.

Acting administrator, Division of Tourism, Suresh Dookhoo, added, “The division is working closely with the division of finance to source the funds for this $6 million and we are working extremely hard because we understand the small man needs his payments also. That is always at the forefront of our decision-making. So we are working hard with the division of finance to allocate the funds for the $6.4 million.”

Forde asked Arnold to provide in writing to the committee a list of all of the stakeholders and the quantities owed.

JSC member Laurence Hislop wondered if the outstanding $6.4 million debt would cover the total expenditure for the jazz experience.

Arnold said it would “take care of all of the outstanding bills at this time.”

He assured all of the local and foreign artistes have been paid.

He also revealed that the jazz experience attracted a total of 5, 277 patrons, 770 of which attended the gospel night while 2,015 supported the Speyside Jazz.

A total of 2,429 attended the international night.