A WAIVER of the Value Added Tax (VAT) for the next few years or until the economy bounces back would be ideal for the festival bands’ survival in Crop-Over, said president of the Barbados Association of Masqueraders Roger Millar.
He was responding to the decision to put a freeze on the subvention given to band houses unless they registered with the VAT office.
He said the introduction of VAT was an added burden at a time when the economic challenges to bands were great, and he called for the development of an Entertainment Act, through which concessions could be made for band leaders.
Millar said that at the end of the Crop-Over season bands were challenged to pay off debts and most were struggling.
“When a budget is set and there are challenges in production, you end out of budget, but by then you cannot stop, the band must be on the road. You then have to dig into personal funds in order to honour commitments to people who have made a deposit,” Millar said.
A representative of Berger Boyz band said: “The VAT has not affected us this year because we [have been] paying for the past six years. It is nothing new that we have to deal with, but for the other bands that now have to pay VAT then it would definitely be seen as a problem.”
Laura Galt of Jump Promotions said that VAT had “been taking a hit on us with regard to the costumes”.
She continued: “We have been in the festival for four years and have not made money for one single year, but . . . we have to do this to keep the Kadooment festival alive – it is not only about feting but culture.”
Earl Gill of Blaze Entertainment said his group was not able to get any new sponsors this year. “The people who are sponsoring, they are trying to help out everybody so you are not getting very much from them.
“VAT is an additional burden. It is not helping, plus with the Kadooment route now longer as it is coming from Warrens, we have to charge more because we have additional costs.” (LK)
