Company offers clarification of concert role EDITORIAL STAFF The Guardian
Conference and Events Management attempted to clear the air Monday about its involvement in the Summerset Music Festival in September.
Mark Carr-Rollitt says his company was not the promoter and in no way received the $400,000 the provincial government spent on the Alanis Morissette concert.
The Vista Bay site in Alexandra drew rave reviews but fewer people bought tickets than originally hoped.
Carr-Rollitt said Conference and Events Management Inc. began discussions with the promoter of Summerset Music Festival in November 2007 to organize a concert on P.E.I. and was hired as the event manager.
That promoter has been identified in the past as P.E.I.’s Dave Christian, who also organized the Shoreline Music Festival.
The provincial government jumped on board in July, eventually spending $500,000 on the show. Of that, $100,000 has since been paid back but taxpayers are out the remaining $400,000.
The Guardian has learned that with just days to go, Christian wanted to stop the concert for reasons no one will talk about on the record due to confidentiality agreements. Speculation is poor ticket sales.
Carr-Rollitt said his company and government realized that cancelling the show was not an option and decided to proceed without the promoter because everything was ready to go and the province’s reputation would have taken a major hit in the concert business had the show been cancelled.
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Curious Georgia from pe writes: The province's reputation and we, the taxpayers, obviously did take a hit, considering the lack of interest. When is the waste of our money going to end? Why are the Liberals not held accountable for their callous decisions to spend our money carte blanche? Perception is reality, the whole fiasco appeared doomed from the get go, timing and performers? This type of doing business is becoming too common practise with this government.
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Henry D from Mt.Herbert, pei writes: Valerie must resign or be asked to leave government. On what authority was she operating. Was Executive Council aware of her dealings? Was this government policy? Who in government jumped on board? Was Minister Brown, who is responsible for BDI, the lender of this extraordinary unsecured loan, in support of this venture. Was Premier Ghiz, the head of Executive Council, on board. Was Finance Minister Sheridan, who is head of Treasury Board, on board. Was it legal for Minister Docherty to transfer the monies out of the Department of Tourism to pay off the private loan of $400,000.00. It sure seems like Administrative Laws were broken. It seems that a lot of people were not up to the task of being fiducially responsible in the administration of public funds. Are these people in over their collective heads or just corrupt?
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Jim Liberal from PEI writes: As the Minister said these funds, didn't come from taxpayers. Where did they get the money? From the PNP perhaps? Hope Crane ask this question.
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Charlie o from pe writes: I am sure this company got paid for the work it performed .It is this Company who would be responsibile for marketing and ticket sales . The results indicate they did a poor job and now trying to lay blame on promoter.
The Company should return their fee to the taxpayer.
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Jack from Cornwall, PEI writes: How much money has this government wasted to date? It seems day after day we hear about foolish spending with no authority and no one is being held accountable. The utter lack of respect shown for taxpayers is disgraceful. This government doesn't feel the need to explain any action they take and are underestimating how closely they are being watched by the public.
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David Seigal from Corwall, PE writes: Who did these experienced concert promoters and government consult before making all these decisions? Concerts cancel all the time. According to Carver, he cancelled a show at Alexandra and returned with the Black Eyed Peas and Aerosmith over the next two years. Why do these people think a cancelled concert in PEI would create a more negative impression of the province than the one that is being created now? I also do not believe there are or should be confidentiality agreements when tax payers $500,000 is at stake. Did Christian initially approach the province? When exactly did he walk out on the show? Days before means what? As much as the province would like, the media and public are not giving up on this, so the province should provide full disclosure.
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David from PE writes: I really think we need serious investigation into this whole affair.
The people in charge from the Minister of Tourism down to the promoter needs to come clean.
Becuase as an island Voter & taxpayer this whol affair is starting to smell just as bad as the Immigrant Fund File.
It is time the voters of PEI got some answers and some HONEST answers.
We are tired of just being paid lip service by this Government.
Is there one member of the Liberal party who has an ounce of integirty or honesty?
I though Ghiz was cut from the same cloth as his father. But I am seeing Ghiz Jr. is nothing like his father.
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Islander from Charlottetown, PEI writes: To quote Tim Banks' blog, time to come clean.
I know a lot of people involved in this and there is a lot more of a story out there.
I think some people are passing the buck so they can pass the hat and do it all again.
Someone needs to do a little digging cause the truth is all there for the printing.
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party doesn't matter from pe writes: it doesn't matter which party they belong to . Did everyone already forget about the last Givernment with Polar Foods , Little Christos Pizza, Bagnalls Hardware, and many more. The whole point is that once the MLAs see the size of the cookie jar they they are not accountable for, they are all the same.
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