The promoters of the Caribbean Muzik Festival are initiating legal action in the U.S. against suppliers who allegedly defaulted on undertakings to supply stage and sound equipment, ultimately forcing the postponement of two of the festival’s four events. The promoters want the return of money they allegedly paid the two companies.
The promoters have retained ChaseLawyers and it appears so-called “pre-litigation demand letters” have been issued to two Florida companies on behalf of Caribbean Music Festival (2000) Ltd. (CMF) requiring the return of funds. According to the promoters, it was failure by the two companies to supply vital equipment that was the primary cause of the postponement of the final two events of the festival.
CMF spokesman Alfred Sears, who is also a festival director, said in a release issued yesterday, “The unprincipled, 11th-hour action by these two parties, who failed to deliver on commitments to provide vital equipment for our event, made it impossible to meet the final production and rehearsal deadlines that are necessary in the staging of a quality event.”
According to Sears, one of the companies, which he alleged received payment “well in advance”, had commited to provide a necessary performance stage for the event. He said the company “reneged on that commitment with mere days’ notice”.
“This made it impossible to locate, ship and construct a replacement in time, forcing the postponement of the final two days of the festival,” Sears said.
In an earlier statement, released jointly by CMF and the Ministry of Tourism, CMF had explained that this late action by suppliers forced an urgent search to locate and secure replacement equipment, which allowed insufficient time to get the equipment to Nassau and have it installed in time to conduct sound checks and rehearsals before show time.
Barry Chase, senior partner of ChaseLawyers, accused the company of “unprofessional behavior.”
“We will press CMF’s demands to the fullest,” he said.
Chase explained that he was hoping for the matter to be settled promptly in his client’s favor, without the need for further legal action beyond the pre-litigation demand letters, which are the first step in the process.
Sears said he could “assure all concerned that the show will go on, and it will do so sooner rather than later.”
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