by MICHELLE SPRINGER

MORE JAMS are adding zing to the Crop-Over season.

This observation came from an official within the Ministry of Finance who told the SATURDAY SUN that 51 parties, up from 40 last year over the period June 1 to the August Kadooment Monday – in both instances – were officially declared to the Value Added Tax division which falls under the office of the Comptroller of Customs.

These numbers, the source indicated, reflected large band fêtes such as those held by Power By Four, Berger Boyz, CampusBoyz and Baje International; occasional fêtes with mass appeal such as Wet Fête and Soca On The Hill; weekly limes put on by the Brewster's Road Crew, Wadadah Club; all-inclusives such as eNVy, Robert Le Hunte's, Mia Mottley's and Brian Lara's; promoters coming into major venues for the first time this year such as Small Pin Productions and Village Styles Inc. and those returning to the scene like Cranston Browne with his Paling Reunion.

Concept

"When we started preparations for eNVy it was actually to strengthen Contact, our Kadooment band," said Rachael Lazare consumer brand marketing manager with Cable & Wireless.

"We were working on an overall product to improve our marketability and during the discussions we realised that Crop-Over needed something different that catered to a different clientele," she stated, defining the target market as the "aspirational person".

Upon investigations, the SATURDAY SUN discovered that not many of the wider known large scale promoters had increased their events.

The VAT office figures also include at least one house party that outgrew its domestic capabilities.

"I can't have it at home anymore; the fête has gotten too big," said Stacia Bryan of Small Pin Productions, adding that the fête is moving to Herbert House, Fontabelle, to accommodate the expected 500 party patrons. (MS)