Gregory Fernandes has resigned as CEO of Caribbean Prestige Foundation (CPF), producer of the International Soca Monarch, Groovy Soca Monarch and Schools Soca Monarch competitions.

Fernandes handed in his resignation yesterday after the foundation’s administrative assistant, Karena Sukhu, issued a release distancing the CPF from statements made by Fernandes at a news conference on Tuesday on the banning of cultural events at the Hasely Crawford Stadium and Jean Pierre Complex by Sport Minister Gary Hunt.

Fernandes has called on the Government to reverse its policy on use of the Stadium and Complex because there is nowhere else to hold large events during Carnival or outside the season.

He has also criticised the new Academy for the Performing Arts, saying it will not solve the problem of a lack of venues for shows. (See Page 4)

The CPF release stated that the foundation did not host the news conference hosted by Fernandes as CEO of CPF at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, where promoters and artistes protested the lack of venues.

The release praised the Government for its support of culture and ideology of Vision 2020.

’Caribbean Prestige Foundation did not host the media conference held at Crowne Plaza on Tuesday, November 10, and the appeals and opinions expressed misrepresented the foundation’s stance.

’Trinidad and Tobago’s social, economic and cultural growth are bursting at the seams. If a young person, indeed, anyone who wishes to pursue their development in almost any field of endeavour, there is a comparable programme that can be pursued,’ the release stated.

The release added that the reason thousands of people are turned away at the gates of shows such as the Soca Monarch is because of the shortness of preparation time for the venue.

It said there are challenges in identifying venues for large-scale shows, but the foundation is confident that the Government will assist in finding a solution for the 2010 edition of the International Soca Monarch final.

Fernandes said yesterday: ’If they say there is no issue and that there are no problems as far as venues for shows are concerned, then I am out of there. We have all been frustrated over the lack of proper venues for our shows for years and had decided to make yet another appeal for a solution.

’I have been with Caribbean Prestige since the beginning when (William) Munro and I started the Soca Monarch. This is not the end of me and the culture of Trinidad and Tobago.’