Haiti - Carnival 2011 : 90 million gourds to party !
At the national level, the costs for the organization of the the various Carnivals [from March 6 to 8] is estimated to 90 million gourds (+/- $2.2MM ). The Government is expected to contribute 45% of this amount (40 million gourds) the remainder must be financed by sponsors.
The distribution of this budget between the various cities (Port-au-Prince, Jacmel, Cap Haitien, Les Cayes ...) is not yet known. However, Edwin Zenny Mayor of Jacmel has indicated that a demand of 10 million gourds had been made to the government to help organize the celebration. Jean-Yves Jason, the Mayor of Port-au-Prince confirmed that he submitted a project to Marie Laurence Jocelyn Lasègue, the Culture Minister who is ready to collaborate in the organization of the Carnival of Port-au-Prince. Pending clarification, he hopes to be able to make an update on the organization of this event next Tuesday.
To those who are opposed to these festivities, Mayor Jason told them not to do politics by linking the cultural event and the millions of victims still living under tents. He says the carnival route this year, will avoid the tent camps in the downtown...
Jean-Yves Jason finally recalled that the Carnival is a "economic and therapeutic" space. Economic without any doubt, however, the therapeutic dimension other than brain, is far from being shared as recalled yesterday in Jacmel, Dr. Yves Gaston Deslouches Junior, departmental Director of the Health in the South-East who has expressed his concern about the risk of an increase in the number of cholera cases during the Carnival of Jacmel, if people do not continue to apply the principles of hygiene during the moments of romping.
