The national Carnival Committee led by its Chairman Noah Mills, has directed that no more ads be sent to Freedom Fm. In a Whats App message to Freedom CEO Juni Liburd on Saturday December 19, 2015 from Carnival Marketing personnel, it was stated that Freedom Fm was not to receive any more advertising. The message concluded that they “were just following orders”. When asked why the ads were being stopped, Marketing said that they “did not know”.
Freedom Fm then placed calls to Chairman Mills and the minister responsible for national carnival, the Hon. Shawn Richards about the decision to stop running ads/promos for NCC on Freedom Fm. Mills was unavailable and did not return calls. Minister Richards said he had no idea of it, as the day to day running of Carnival was the Committee’s responsibility. Minister Richards promised to look into this matter. Earlier in the week, realizing that no ads had come from carnival over an extended period of time, calls were placed repeatedly to the marketing sector at the carnival office without success.
This vindictive and spiteful act by the NCC to take bread out of the mouths of Freedom Fm staffers is high handed victimization. It comes on the heels of the NCC Chairman Mills controversial decisions with several soca artistes including the reigning monarchs Sugarbowl and Team Bagnall, over qualifying rules and criteria governing the soca competition. The artistes had taken a stand to defend their rights.
The artistes held a press conference on Freedom Fm 2 weeks ago and took the Chairman to task for his unilateral decision making, his deception and egotism. In a subsequent telephone conversation with one of the soca artistes who opposed him, Mills was trying to smooth the turbulent waters and bridge the gap between him and the soca artistes. Mills reportedly said he would hold a press conference with Bowl and Bagnall anywhere else but Freedom Fm because as he put it, Freedom was “anti Carnival”.
Let the records show that since the inception of Freedom Fm in 2005, the radio station has been effectively promoting LOCAL music and been an ambassador for carnival. Freedom has done press conferences, interviews, and teamed up with ZIZ to cover soca, calypso, queen shows, jouvert, and carnival parades. Our radio DJ’s blaze the national music during their radio shows, parties, fetes, and on the road. Most of the local acts in St Kitts and Nevis come to Freedom to launch their CD’s and music.
Freedom Fm deeply appreciates the many calls to the radio station and Facebook messages from our multitude of fans, family and supporters in this development with the National Carnival Committee.
LET FREEDOM REIGN!!!!!!!