Philipsburg:--- A newspaper article published in one of the daily newspapers last week about the grievances of the local artists that are scheduled to perform at TEMPO turns 7 this week caused a huge temper flare between the Mighty Dow and Member of Parliament Romaine La Ville.
According to several civil servants and workers at the Government Administration building MP La Ville verbally attacked the Mighty Dow in the corridor of the Government Administration Building after reading the newspaper article. The workers said that the verbal brawl almost got out of hand because some of them had to hold back Dow and La Ville to prevent them from throwing punches at each other. "The MP got on so bad as if he was in the ghetto using all sorts of foul language when Dow entered the building. It is sickening to see how an elected official behaves when he is angry," one of the civil servants told SMN News.
In an invited comment, MP La Ville admitted that he lost his temper when he read the newspaper article. La Ville said Thursday night the local artists called him to an urgent meeting at the Divi Little Bay Hotel and their concern was the amount of monies they wanted to perform during TEMPO turns 7.
La Ville said he had an agreement with the artists where he asked them to give him until Friday to regulate the monetary matters. He said he did not even know that the artists also called the Minister of Finance Roland Tuitt who agreed to pay the artists the monies they wanted just to avoid negative press, yet the artists called a particular reporter and gave him a one sided story.
La Ville denied using foul language during the brawl but admitted that he lost his temper and all respect for the Mighty Dow and Shadowman. La Ville further explained that it is the Mighty Dow and Shadowman who called him and asked him to be part of the one week show because no one contacted them. He said when he first spoke to the Mighty Dow he wanted $15,000 to perform and when heard the price he thought that Mighty Dow did not know how many people (music artists) would have wanted the opportunity they are getting which is to perform on a music network. "I did not do this for myself I did this for the local artists because I want to showcase them. None of the former commissioners or Ministers ever paid attention to the local artists here on St. Maarten and I am doing all I can to give these artists the international and Caribbean publicity they need so that they too can become big and successful." La Ville made clear that the local artists are being paid much more than those coming from abroad to perform during the one week of events. Efforts made to reach the Mighty Dow by telephone proved futile on Monday as the local musician did not answer his telephone. Minister of Finance Roland Tuitt also could not be reached on Monday for a comment.
It should be noted that the Government of St. Maarten invested $400.000.00 in TEMPO turns 7, of which $300,000.00 is already paid to the organizers.