Dear Editor,
The decision to allow free access to all venues where events are being held is incredible. The last thing you would expect of a scarce commodity (good or service) is for it to be free. Carifesta events are scarce commodities because their seating capacities are limited.
Price is the tool used by society to allocate its scarce resources. When a commodity is priced properly, the resulting allocation can be efficient, ie, its demand exactly equals the supply of it. Those who don’t value the commodity at its price level would not use it, resulting in adequate supplies for those who place an equal or higher value on it. Under these conditions, there are no shortages. However, when priced below that equilibrium level, shortages occur as consumers willing to pay more because they value it more than the price, cannot satisfy their wants.
Unfortunately, this very basic economic concept and its consequences were lost on the Carifesta planners.
Pricing tickets at zero will create a severe shortage of seats. But even worse, the shortage of seats coupled with the incongruous feature of empty seats at the events is a likely characteristic. This comes about because there are no consequences to consumers for taking unwanted tickets up to the rationed level but having little intention of using them.
The shortage was evident on Wednesday at 14:30 hours when I attempted to obtain tickets at the National Cultural Centre but was told the only tickets available were for August 25 at the National Exhibition Centre, Sophia. To put this in perspective, three-and-a-half hours after the commencement of ticket distribution, most of the events were already closed-out at this major distribution point. The long lines at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall and Carifesta Commission led me to believe that many waiting in line would be disappointed. This is a classical case of a shortage. It made me realize that the relatives I invited to visit Guyana for the festival were fortunate they could not come. It would have been an embarrassment, and for them, a disappointing investment in a vacation. Happily, the Super Concerts, sponsored by Banks DIH, are not free and thus will not be affected by similar shortages.
Shortage caused by the mispricing of Carifesta X events tickets is a major flaw in its planning and will mar much of the effort of so many to make it a success.
Yours faithfully,
Louis Holder
Re: “The decision to issue free tickets to Carifesta events is a major planning error” How so, when you want “Who Soever Will May Come”! (including those poor Guyanese who cannot afford too pay for “tickets to Carifesta events” and put food on the family tables. Go USA/Guyana and the Caribbean! It’s CARIFESTA in Guyana (like “Cotton Comes To KIMBIA”) – Again! ;-)
Hey
I see shades of the infamous “busing” as in bus, – you know move from one place to another?- Something that Burnham critics loved to tarnish him with
…..malaika,,,, here u r again wid u hoof in yuh mouth ! de brush n e badi “tarnishin’ ” burnham wid,,, gyal de rale name fuh de brush dem seh ! is
FACTS wid EVIDENCE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am very sad to read this letter, which documented Louis’s experiences.
FREE TICKETS are a noble idea, BUT, there should be a massive amount of seats.
Imagine a US Diaspora person, paying US$1,400: for Air Fare, PLUS Hotel, Food, Taxi, et al, and have to watch CARIFESTA X on a TV screen ?……this will result in a very unhappy person.
I hope, hard working , Hon. Minister Dr. Anthony, can EXECUTE a TOTAL MOBILIZATION PLAN to provide with MORE TICKETS for the main venues, soon, IF NOT, there will be many, many, UNHAPPY persons….what a pity ?
what airline are you using try bwee/zoom
for another $200 you can come 2 times.
Mr. Holder, please stop your nonsense. I would appreciate you using your knowledge of microeconomics to analyse real microeconomic issues afflicting the society. You seem to know a bit of economics. Then you should also understand a bit or two about the analytical value of the Pareto optimality concept. Is this what you are after here (the corollary)….make the rich and famous and well connected enjoy the festivities at the expense of the “riff raff”.
Congrats to the planners and government for this egalatarian policy. I would not disagree with Bharrat financing the participation of the majority of Guyanese (who are poor and am sure would be hard pressed to purchase tickets for the family for even one event) from the Lotto Funds.
….am ah was goin to fine out if ah culd aks a queshton ! n e badi gat any iday how much de “scalpers” gon sell dem tikit fah ????????????????
Jail time is promised, if caught selling tickets that is FREE.
.
The tickets had to be free or else attendance would have declined , success can now be claimed for the festival because of attendance. Let is wait and see when is the next freeness.
Knowing that many seats would be empty if tickets were sold to the public it was the best way to go ,just take the world cup cricket for example and the other major problem is the lotto funds time to cover the trail of that special account ,good luck to all for Carifesta 2008
Louis, this is a classic example of a socialist mentality. Keep the masses in poverty and extend hand outs. One would have thought that the government would try to recoup the expenses and create more viewership for the visitors. This was an opportunity for the Govt. and the min. of tourism to solidify their tourist product. Sad to say that this seem to be heading for a major setback..
The sooner the Govt. and Guyanese realise that they must employ persons with international experiences when dealing with events which cater to international visitors the better things will be. China requested the services of Steven Spilsberg an American film maker to plan their olympic opening ceremony and when he refused they took a Chinese film maker living in America.
…..no need to bring spilsberg — sounds like a beer to me — or even one ah dem mickey mouse jokers from bollywood,, tho,, because of the number of people in india they make be proficient at logistics ,, which reminds me abt a GDF officer whose name i think is Singh ,, he’s a logistics expert ,, his services should have been put to use ,,,,, and it should be recognised that there will always be “teething” problems at infancy !…………..
Sorry, can you speak/write legible English so I can respond to you?
no tickets required/