Dear Editor
Here is my issue; I am a proud mother of a 16 year old girl who will be graduating this year. That’s not the issue, that’s a blessing. I am therefore preparing her to go to prom for the very first time. I am excited because I think prom is a good initiative to signal the beginning of graduating and moving on to the next chapter in someone’s life. Back to my daughter, I know that the event is at Westin Resort as previous years and I am ecstatic. I bought her dress off island and plan to make her up myself and prepare her for what is supposed to be a classy, well put together event. So I thought, my daughter asked me permission to go to the after party to prom. I asked her to explain and give details, allowing me to make preparations for this last minute request.
She uttered the words “is at Tantra mommy, all my friends going”, with a grain of salt; I looked at my daughter and asked if she is out of her mind. I wanted to know if I heard her correctly, seemed to me that my 16 year old girl wanted to go to Tantra night club for her prom after party. Here is my issue, I am sure that Tantra night club means well but what is on the minds of the organizers to have an after party at an adult night club for teenagers. What excuse do you have? Let’s pretend for a second that the organizers have good intentions in mind. Mind you, I said pretend, my child will be allowed in Tantra and the club will serve water to the hundreds of kids, yes kids at the wee- hours of the night. Let me paint a picture, couple of months ago Teen times, the organizers of prom, called for the legal alcohol drinking age to go from 16 to 18. This took place in our new penal code as of June 1. Now, they announced Prom after party at Tantra Night club. I don’t get it, am I missing something. Teen Times is being anchored and headed by a responsible man, I would think Mr. Michael Granger, I appreciate the organization for organizing prom but I think this is a step back. Stick to your words, you cannot on one side say, “raise the legal age of drinking alcohol and on the other side, young people after party will be at Tantra. It just makes no sense to me. As a concerned parent, I hope I am not overreacting by saying my daughter will not be attending the after party. I would like her to go to clubs when she is the age of 18, like it should be. My issue is, Adult night club being used for a party for our teens and what will be served to them?
I am not a complainer, so here are my thoughts, get a nice big location like the Bellaire Community center or any hall and do the after party for them there if you must have one. I never could understand a party and another party right after anyway. Serve the teen’s water, juice or soda. Please consider my request.
I might seem harsh but as parents, we need to look after our own. It looks like the mighty dollar sometimes gets the best of us. To the police, I do hope you will check out this after party, please be there to guide our young people, and they are all we have. Shame on Tanra Night club for even allowing for such an event. Parents please pay attention to your kids. I will pay attention to mine! God bless St. Maarten
Concerned Parent
SMN News contacted Michael Granger about the after party that will be held at TANTRA NIGHT CLUB Granger said TEEN TIMES is not organizing the After Party that it is done by TANTRA NIGHT CLUB.
However on TEEN TIMES FACE BOOK PAGE GRANGER POSTED THIS ANNNOUNCEMENT 0n June 6th 2015@ 6:38pm
There will be just ONE Prom After Party sanctioned by Teen Times and that will be at Tantra. Any other announcement is either fake or does not have our blessing. Prom Night 2015 - Sunday, June 28 - Westin Resort!
A statement from the marketing manager of Tantra Night Club Rolando Brison said that Tantra Night Club is organizing the after party for the graduates on June 28th 2015. Brison said that Tantra is opened on Sunday's during the summer and students that are under the age of 18 years old will not be allowed to enter Tantra Night Club. Brison said that the night club will be executing the law of the land and the police will be assisting them on that night to make sure that no minor/graduate that is under the age of 18 enters the club. Asked if alcohol will be served at the after party Brison confirmed that they will be serving alcohol as prescribed by law to persons over the age of 18.
It should be noted here that Rolando Brison is a former employee that worked for Michael Granger, he is also the marketing manager for the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) where Granger is the President.
SMN News contacted the Head of the Simpson Bay police divsion Carlyle Rogers to see if TANTRA Night Club requested assistace from the police for the night of June 28th to screen students that will be attending the after party. Rogers said that no request was submitted to him and he is not aware if such request was made directly to the Acting Chief Commissioner of Police Carl John. Rogers made clear that night clubs have to abide by the law and that clubs are not allowed to entertain underage students.SMN News also contacted Police Spokesman Ricardo Henson to verify if any request for assistance was submitted to KPSM by TANTRA. Henson said that so far nothing of that sort was done and he will have the CPO for that area look into the matter.
