What is the value of Machel Montano's music to someone from Reykjavik with no links to T&T? The recent story about the revenue from Montano's Independence Album ($175,000) in startling contrast to the price paid by the Government ($5 million) raises fresh inspection of the investment in local culture and whether or not supporting the arts is throwing money into a black hole.
Every year, millions of dollars are pumped into Carnival with very little empirical data to suggest that it is money well spent. In fact, we pride ourselves in our aversion to data which could be used to support the notion that Carnival is profitable, beneficial, or worthy of this investment. On the contrary, one can even argue that Carnival is a burden on taxpayers in the way that make-work programmes are.
Indeed, there are similarities between Carnival and make-work programmes. The two are characterised by little work for maximum pay (someone with limited talent performs a song they have not written for 20 minutes and wins a $2 million prize). The two are characterised by corruption and entrenched hierarchies (folks at the bottom get the scraps, while the bourgeoisie fill their pockets to get as far away from the masses and to invest in properties that the Government rent, so in effect taxpayers are violated twice over). Finally, both Carnival and make-work programmes have very little to show for the investment made in them.
Machel Montano's music cannot withstand the litmus test of storytelling, rhythmic variations (same beat every year–just louder), universal appeal (his themes are limited to a specific audience and generally for a specific period–what emotions does the music arouse in you besides arousal?), and finally time. Like cheese, Montano's music has an expiry date.
But here we are, paying $5 million for an album that no one wants to buy. Talk about political patronage. Do you know what $5 million could have been used for? Chump change for some ministers, but that kind of money could have been put to good use for taxpayers. When we leave our homes tomorrow, we should see as if seeing for the first time. Look around your street and see what $5 million could have done in your neighbourhood.
The "value" of Montano's music is largely symbolic, as the use value and exchange value is absolute zero. Just overpriced and simply not worth it.