A CHALLENGE has been sent out to Kadooment band leaders to find ways of cutting the cost of producing bands this year.

It is coming from Quincy Jones, leader of the new band Youth Explosion which was launched at the Party Stand recently.

Twenty-year-old Jones, a student of the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, told the DAILY NATION other Crop-Over bands should use what was local and "not go outside".

He said there was a lot of talent in Barbados and many local "companies were willing to get on board with Crop-Over 2008".

"I think in life you have to find mechanisms and those who do will pull through. What we have done is – given the cost of VAT and cost of living – we have created a mechanism, in that we are all young economic students within the group. We all are thinking something different," Jones said, explaining that his costumes cost the same across the four sections inclusive of VAT.

"I am saying to the other band leaders if we can find a mechanism to reduce the cost, why can't they?" he queried. (JS)