If the Crucian Christmas Festival Organization received its funding much earlier in the year, it would be able to get more and better acts, and better carnival rides, organization spokeswoman Melody Rames told the Senate during budget hearings Wednesday.
"Our most significant challenge is the releasing of Festival allotment in a timely manner," Rames told the Senate Finance Committee, reiterating the organization’s past request to have its entire allotment released at least six months in advance of the festivities.
Not being able to pay deposits well in advance hinders negotiations with performers, who are already pretty busy during the Christmas season, Rames said. Late funds also affect children’s carnival rides, she said.
"The best children’s rides, which are available in Puerto Rico, are booked months and, in some cases, a year in advance. Thus the rides that are available when our funds are available are not the top of the line," she said.
Having a well-designed, properly equipped and secured festival ground would be of great help too, she said, pointing to the cost to vendors and the Festival Organization of transporting everything to the grounds, then removing and storing it all. Without a well-secured area, the infrastructure that exists by the Paul E. Joseph ballfield in Frederiksted, where the Festival village is set up, is also at risk, she said, pointing to recent vandalism.
About three weeks ago, much of the Festival grounds’ electrical system and electrical wires were dismantled and stolen, Rames said. "We now face the replacement of the entire electrical system which will cost thousands of dollars.”
“Once Festival is over the grounds are unsecured and it is a beacon for those who want fast cash,” she said. “It is time to build permanent booths and vendors space, paved ground and all the amenities that would make Festival grounds a fully functioning facility that would service the people of St. Croix annually," she said.
Sen. Sammuel Sanes said he believed the improvements could be "a viable project." "If done right, it can be a revenue generating project," he said.
Sen. Ronald Russell suggested bonding bills currently before the Senate should be modified to fund some of these as capital projects for St. Croix, to help mitigate the economic damage from the closure of the Hovensa refinery.
"To me the borrowing of money at this time should focus on economic action on St. Croix," Russell said.
This year will be a special celebration of the 60th Crucian Christmas Festival, so there is a bit more funding than some past years, and some exciting additions to the schedule – including a fireworks display on the last day of the Village, she said.
The theme will be "Live the Dream, Music, Mas and History," Crucian Festival 60th Anniversary 2012-1013, according to Rames. The Band-O-Rama band competition, revived last year, will return again and the Mr. St. Croix competition returns after a long hiatus, which Rames predicted would draw viewers and revenue.
This time the CCFO hopes to present cars as prizes to the winners of the Mr. and Miss St. Croix contests and Calypso Monarch, if all goes well. "We are in negotiations with local car companies and hope we can arrive at a deal that will be satisfactory to both parties," Rames said.
Gov. John deJongh Jr.’s budget recommends $575,000 for the Crucian Christmas Festival 60th Anniversary celebration – an increase from the $450,000 appropriated last year.
The Career and Technical Education Center Board also appeared before the Finance Committee Wednesday, with Vice Chairwoman Ilene Garner saying the board is also hampered by late release of allotments.
"Last year and this year we have not been able to get our allotments on time," Garner said. As result, the board has encountered difficulties including not securing training aids for automotive and auto body programs; not procuring needed security cameras and devices to prevent theft of tools and materials at the CTEC Academy and Central High; and not being able to support any student organizations in the St. Thomas/St. John district.
"These items were unanimously approved by the board but the board was not able to purchase the approved items because of the lack of available resources. Many of the funds are released at the end of the fiscal year," she said.
To alleviate these problems, Garner and the CTEC Board want to be split off from the Department of Education, with a status like that of the elected Board of Education, she said.
The CTEC budget request is for $700,000. Of that total, $150,000 is for the CTEC Craft Training Academy and to develop the groundwork for more such academies. Some $210,000 is for professional services. Other major expenses include:
– $50,000 to continue upgrading training aids;
– $55,000 to help student organization activities;
– $50,000 for curriculum review and revision;
– $40,000 for a career and technical education conference;
– $25,000 for emergency equipment and replacement;
– $30,000 for its taskforce on graduation requirements and Pathways System development and support, which may include technical support from the Center for Occupational Research and Development and Common Core Standards;
– $12,000 for supplies;
– and $9,300 for utilities.
As with the Crucian Christmas Festival, there is no funding for wages, salaries and benefits, because neither organization has permanent employees.
No votes were taken at the information gathering hearing.
