FOR the first time since the Tobago Heritage Festival was first staged in 1987, Les Coteaux may not be taking part in this year’s event – the island’s signature cultural extravaganza.
The festival’s calendar of events has not yet been finalised, but it is expected to run for a month, culminating on August 1 – Emancipation Day.
This year, the event is being managed by the Tobago Festivals Commission Ltd.
Les Coteaux’s presentation – Folktales and Superstitions – is among the more eagerly anticipated.
But this year, sources said, insufficient funding could prevent the organisers – Les Coteaux Close Connection Cultural Group – from staging a production.
Republic Bank Ltd, which has been the village’s main sponsor for many years, has agreed to donate $100,000 toward the event, as did the Tobago House of Assembly (THA).
But Newsday understands that sum is still inadequate.
One source said Les Coteaux, unlike previous years, was asked to take charge of logistics for its show.
[caption id="attachment_1089486" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Rosie, left, throws a posy full of urine on spirits which followed her daughter home during Les Coteaux's Folktales and Superstitions 2022 presentation, Tablepiece Recreational Ground, Les Coteaux. - File photo[/caption]
“But from since they have been involved in Heritage, they have never been in charge of logistics. There are one or two things that the group would do as an organisation, but the festivals commission would have been in charge of logistics,” the source said.
The source said while the commission seems to be trying to let groups manage their own affairs, the Les Coteaux Close Connection Group is not a big organisation.
“But when you have a small group with less than 15 members, and some of them are young and have lives, jobs and school, it leaves (the work) now for the older ones, which is like three people who could run up and down but who also have lives, jobs and children to care of.
“So we cannot be running up and down and doing what we think that (the festivals commission) should do.
"If they say we are spoilt, they put us in that place.”
The source said the group, which has been rehearsing its skit, was told recently by a festivals commission official it would have to make do with its $200,000 in sponsorship.
“They are being told that they have to do everything – the stage, lighting, toilets, everything. And what they don’t know, the commission would guide them through it.”
The group, the source said, was taken aback.
“They asked the official what the commission was doing, and they were told they were organising the bar for all of the villages that are doing Heritage. They will also be responsible for the police and ambulance.
"But groups now are responsible for doing everything else for Heritage.”
Newsday understands the Close Connection members held an emergency meeting recently to discuss the feasibility of staging a production with $200,000.
The treasurer, the source said, reported the group spent about $230,000 on last y
