WHERE WERE THE CROWDS? WHERE IS THE MONEY?
The Same Old Story About FMC Finances By Stephen Weir It has been a few years, but here I am in October, and once again, the Caribbean Camera is running this story I have written about the financial woes of the Toronto Caribbean Carnival. This time, it’s based on rumours and innuendos because the Festival Management Committee (FMC) isn’t talking—for now. Word on the street is that the FMC doesn’t have the money to pay off its stakeholders: the Mas Bands, the Steel Drum orchestras, and Calypsonians who took part in the 2024 annual festival. The band leaders have apparently received letters telling them of this year’s cash crunch. The FMC managed the 57th annual Toronto Caribbean Carnival, which they touted as “North America’s largest celebration of Caribbean culture.” According to their website, “The Toronto Caribbean Carnival remains a key economic driver, generating nearly half a billion dollars in economic impact. We are calling on the government, the business community, the broader...