After an article was posted in the Daily News stating Haitians and Jamaicans would be banned on the parkway this year because they don’t follow the dress code, Opa reached out to the West Indian American Day Carnival Association’s reps, Ms. Jean Alexander, board member and director of marketing on the committee to get a little clarity on the matter.

Cheyna: Hi, Ms. Alexander. My name is Cheyna Pierre and I’m calling from Opamizik.com.

Alexander: Spell that for me, please?

Cheyna: That O-P-A-M-I-Z-I-K dot com.

Alexander: OK, how may I help you?

Cheyna: I just have a few questions for you in regards to this year’s parade. There was an article written in New York Daily News that brought to the Haitian Community’s attention that the committee is trying to get a ban on Haitians and Jamaicans this year if they don’t wear costumes. And also based on what I was told regarding the meeting last night, Haitians and Jamaicans are the ones being singled out.

Alexander: What is it you want to know?

Cheyna: I want to know first, is there a ban on Haitians and Jamaicans for this year’s festival?

Alexander: No there’s no ban. There are just rules being enforced.

Cheyna: I think the costumes rules is a great one but also there must be a better way to go about it. In this Country we have laws and freedom of expression is one of them. If they feel their T-shirts are their customs then shouldn’t that suffice?

Alexander: I know you’ve been on the parkway and know that T-Shirts cannot be considered as customs. In Haiti, they have costumes so why they won’t do it here? We have people from all over the world coming to watch this event and it doesn’t look right to have a group in customs and a group in T-shirts. We’re not trying to take anybody out we’re just trying to keep the culture in the festival. Carnival is something that’s been around for centuries and if we don’t keep up the spirit it will go away. What will the future generation have to celebrate?

Cheyna: Also I was told that the committee wants Haitians to supply their own security to these marching people. Shouldn’t the cops be doing that?

Alexander: The City made that rule. The parade cost $300, 000 to ensure this year. We have to have that money in by Monday the 8th. And we want people to always come back so we’re trying to abide by the rules because the City is putting pressure on us. They want us to stop people that are not with the bands to stop jumping on the floats and to stop blocking. Therefore the bands have to have their security.

Cheyna: Do the costumes have to be approved by the committee?

Alexander: The costumes are not that big of an issue. You can go to your closet and create one by adding flower and or feathers to something you already have. All we ask is for all parties on that float and the ground walkers to coordinate.

Cheyna: How about the comments you made in the Daily Newspaper?

Alexander: Ms. Casimir from the Daily Newspaper got a comment from me and she went and got comments from the Haitian and Jamaican communities and twisted my words. I’m going to have a press release these coming days and invite the media and explain the article.

Cheyna: Thank you, Ms. Alexander.

Alexander: You’re welcome, bye.

Photos courtesy of WIADCA