While Cabinet claims budget will ensure timely Carnival payments, after five years Thomas still waits for his cheque

Even after making appeals for payment these past five years, one
Carnival service provider says he is yet to receive compensation
from the Browne Administration.

This is the situation faced by well-known Mas’ builder Alister
Thomas, even as the Cabinet claims that payment to winners and
other participants has been budgeted.

Last week, the Cabinet Notes reported that “every effort is being
made to complete those payments on the night of the events.”
The Executive added that other invoices, from other providers, are
also being worked on, so the late payments that have plagued
previous Carnivals can be avoided this year.

However, Thomas says the minister with responsibility for the
festival – along with his political opponent, Prime Minister Gaston
Browne – has refused to pay him the more than $50,000 he is owed.

Thomas explains that a significant portion of the arrears was for
personal funds he expended – ahead of the Government giving its
small stipend – to ensure that several schools had costumes to take
part in the festival.

The veteran Mas’ builder says he is appalled at the conduct of the
minister in refusing to pay what he is rightfully owed. And he notes
that, for all the decades he has been involved in Carnival, he,
Thomas, has never brought politics to the front.

Children’s Carnival was held on Sunday, July 30, and Thomas, under
normal circumstances, would have designed costumes for a number
of schools to take part.

He is also the designer of Ali and Associates, which has won many
awards and honours for costume design.