Ministry owing me for Minaj campaign

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Ministry owing me for Minaj campaign

Posted on Thursday, 30 June 2011 by JJ Bailey

Local artiste Maximus Dan, promoter Daryl Braxton and others associated with the "Localise Itt" initiative by the Ministry of Sport are claiming they are being owed money. Braxton, CEO of HyPro Ltd and D Project Records, told the Express about $1 million was outstanding from the campaign launch in August last year. He claimed they have been getting the runaround by Minister Anil Roberts and his ministry since last October when the company and the suppliers were to have been paid. Maximus Dan, real name Edghill Thomas, confirmed he has not yet been paid for his services for the "Localise Itt" campaign, which featured Nicki Minaj. "I trust Government would be wise enough to get their house in order in regard to this situation and this particular ministry," he said. He said a number of young people were involved in the campaign, and they are still yet to be paid. Roberts, in a brief telephone interview with the Express, said he did not deal with payments, but it is the permanent secretary that was "in charge of any and all payments to any suppliers of goods and services". Earlier, he had commented it was "election time", referring to the COP leadership election on July 3, and a lot of "stories" were going around. Questioned whether he was aware of the situation, Roberts said he was "aware of many things" and repeated the Express should speak with the permanent secretary. He also declined to have the interview taped. Braxton said Maximus Dan, Ravi B and former junior calypso monarch Megan Waldron were contracted to sing the jingle, and they were supposed to be the face of the campaign that was scheduled to be a year long. Maximus Dan noted he was part of the campaign from inception and was involved in promotion, the public concert and other activities. He said the issue of payment was "obviously a burning issue", and he wanted to get over this hump and move on.

Source: Trinidad Express