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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, December 26, 2022 (MMS-SKN) — The idea of hosting the first Midnight Escape Street Festival has come in for high praise from Deputy Prime Minister the Hon Dr Geoffrey Hanley, and Senior Minister and former Prime Minister the Rt. Hon Dr Denzil Douglas, both who expressed satisfaction that it was good for the county’s small scale entrepreneurs.

“It is an exciting time here at the Carnival Midnight Escape Street Festival – a very positive initiative for Carnival, a new taste of what can happen,” remarked Deputy Prime Minister the Hon Dr Geoffrey Hanley. “You have the showcasing of all of our small businesses presenting their products, and I mean it is amazing.”

Dr Hanley, who is also the Minister of Education, Youth Empowerment, Social Development, Gender Affairs, Aging and Disabilities, Ecclesiastical and Faith-based Affairs, Housing and Human Settlement, said that the street festival reminded him of his trip to Taiwan where he visited a night market.

“You have the creativity coming out at each stall and even the talent being showcased on stage by our different artists and this can only grow bigger and better next year and years to come,” said the Honourable Deputy Prime Minister. “So I want to congratulate the Carnival Committee and the Ministry of the Creative Economy for an initiative well done.”

Senior Minister Dr Douglas, who is also the Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Economic Development and Investment, said that the whole idea of holding the Midnight Escape Street Festival was to showcase what small scale entrepreneurs have to offer.

“A lot of what you have been seeing here tonight and eating would have been prepared in their home kitchens and then they bring it to the public for the public to savour and enjoy,” said Dr Douglas. “This is the beginning of what we speak of entrepreneurship, where a lot of what they would be doing here eventually we are hoping they would expand and increase in activities and eventually there would be more demands for their goodies beyond what would be the normal kitchen.”

He hinted that the Federal Government, specifically the Ministries of Trade and Commerce, and Small Business and Entrepreneurship, would want them to find a commercial space if they can come together in their own individual compartmentalised way and do their business for the profit it would bring.

“In other words, this is what we expect will mushroom into larger businesses and in this way it is part and parcel of developing entrepreneurship of our people,” concluded the Rt. Hon Dr Denzil Douglas.

The Midnight Escape Street Festival, which was the brainchild of the Department of Creative Economy under the Ministry of Sports and the Creative Economy headed by the Hon Samal Duggins, was held on Christmas eve night, Saturday December 24, along the section of Bay Road between College Ghaut and Fort Street that had been closed to vehicular traffic and was held as part of the celebrations of Sugar Mas 51.

Participating and spending long hours at the Street Festival as they interacted with members of the public until the early hours of Sunday morning (Christmas Day) included Prime Minister the Hon Dr Terrance Drew, and Junior Minister the Hon Isalean Phillip. Among those who turned out included Governor General’s Deputy Her Excellency Marcella Liburd, Ambassador His Excellency Kenneth Douglas, and former Speaker of the National Assembly the Hon Curtis Martin.

Also present were the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports and the Creative Economy, Ms Valencia Syder; Director of the Creative Economy, Ms Robertine Webbe; Chair of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Carnival Committee, Ms Shannon Hawley; and other high ranking officials from the ministries of Agriculture, Fisheries, Marine Resources and Cooperatives, Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Sports and the Creative Economy.