Companies vying for the right to broadcast Carnival 2014 via the Internet are questioning the National Carnival Commission's (NCC) three-month delay in naming who has been awarded a bid.Writer, producer and director Danielle Dieffenthaller, in an interview with the T&T Guardian yesterday, said it was disrespectful "to say the least" that the NCC has at least not explained what was the delay.
She said bids closed on November 6 last year and when the tender box was publicly opened there were three companies who tendered. It is understood the companies were Advance Dynamics, Cedar House and Vistrac Ltd.The T&T Guardian was, however, told that another company which did not bid was awarded the contract.Dieffenthaller said she met an evaluation committee some two Wednesdays ago and was asked to supply additional information, including the number of crew members.
"Cedar House is ours and when we met with the committee they asked us to submit some stuff," she said."I was then told an answer would be given the Friday night of that week. Friday came and gone and I got no answer and up to now no one from the NCC can give an answer."Whenever we try to get an answer from the NCC they are very curt and discourteous at best."Saying production was not a cut and paste process, Dieffenthaller said the delay was also unfair to her team.
Director of Carnival TV Paul Charles, who spoke on behalf of Advance Dynamics, said they also submitted a bid."Two weeks ago we were invited by the NCC for an interview and to date we have heard nothing. Even before that we were told that before Christmas a decision was expected to be taken," Charles said. "I cannot understand how it is taking so long to evaluate three bids. At the end of the day Carnival will suffer."
Contacted yesterday, NCC chair Allison Demas said no decision had yet been taken on the award of a contract. She said she also could not say when that would be announced.Pressed further on whether a company which did not bid was awarded a contract, Demas said, "What contract? I am not in a position to make a comment. As soon as a decision is made it will be known."