New York Carnival Brouhaha? - Top Mas Band Opts Out Of Brooklyn Carnival - A HBN First

Reported By Djenny Passe-Rodriguez

HBN NY


Hardbeatnews, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. July 11, 2007: Popular New York mas band, Hawks International, will be a no show at this year's West Indian American Day Carnival with organizers opting to boycott.

In an exclusive interview with HBN yesterday, Desmond Chase, Hawks International board of director's chairman, said the decision was made because of his dissatisfaction with the organizer's of the annual event, the West Indian American Day Carnival Association.

"Carnival is something we would love to do, but we can't anymore," said Chase. "It would be an exercise in futility since we have no means of raising funds." The Hawks band is considered one of the larger bands that has participated in the carnival in past years. But over the years, mas bands have been forced to hold back yard parties to cover the cost of participating as sponsorship has lagged.

Chase, who stepped down as president of WIADCA in 2001, feels that the organization doesn't advocate for the interests of the individual bands. The bands he said have to pay large fees in order to be part of the annual multi-cultural festival.

"Big businesses that have nothing to do with carnival reap in millions of dollars and not one penny of it comes back to us," claimed the Trinidad-born Chase, who is also president of the Caribbean Bandleaders Action Committee International.

But Jean Alexander, spokesperson for WIADCA, while acknowledging Chase's frustrations on funds, said her organization must also cope with rising costs and a lag in sponsors.

"We ourselves are faced with the city's restrictions and every year we have at least 2-3 lawsuits which resulted in incidents that are out of our control," said Alexander. "Most insurance companies won't insure carnivals like this one and some of our sponsors either don't support the following year or they don't increase their monetary support, so we feel it too."

Last year's sponsors included Pathmark, American Airlines, Hennessey, Health First, and the Daily News, to name a few.

Alexander, however, expressed her disappointment by Chase's decision, adding that his band has been a force in the carnival and thousands of supporters will be saddened.

Meanwhile, Chase revealed that efforts to reach a compromise have not began since his request to the association has been left unanswered. But WIADCA officials say no discussion was held with them before the Hawks decision was made.

The parade, started in 1967 by the late Carlos Lezama, attracts at least four million people throughout the world and generates over $300 million for New York City. Marching bands, like the one spearheaded by Chase, and popular musicians are the main attractions for the week-long event, which wraps up on Eastern Parkway on Labor Day. – Hardbeatnews.com