The Autonomous Organization of Parties and Recreational Activities and Activities (OAFAR) of the Santa Cruz City Council will make effective in the month of January, the first of the two payments to the groups participating in the Carnival. These amounts correspond to the municipal contribution for contracting. A first payment that adjusts to the deadlines in which the organization of the party has been developing so far, which is more than two months late compared to a normal Carnival.
In this way, a total of 76 groups will receive the economic amounts that the Consistory budget dedicates to this chapter, for their interventions during the celebration of the party. The groups must respond to the invitation issued by Oafar as soon as possible, with a view to awarding the contracts and the subsequent presentation of the invoices.
The governing council of Oafar, meeting yesterday, approved to notify the groups of this agreement. Through it, choreographic groups, comparsas, rondallas, musical groups and murgas will receive a total of 297,488 euros. This amount represents 50% of the total amount destined to recruitment for Carnival 2022, set at 594,976 euros.
The Councilor for Festivities, Alfonso Cabello, at the end of the meeting confirmed that “all the necessary steps are still being taken to guarantee the celebration of the contests and galas of the next Carnival, to which we must add the work we are doing to, if the sanitary conditions allow it, celebrate the carnival in the street ”.
The councilor understands the concern shown by some groups regarding the delay of the first payment, but details that these are adjusted to the times in which the organization of Carnival 2022 has been developed, which is the one that has been called later in history of the party due to the existing pandemic conditions. “Historically, the Carnival was called in the month of September, and in the month of October the payment process began. Taking into account that the convocation and registration of the groups takes place in the month of November, there is no material time for the processing of all payments. The groups have until December 15 to deliver the invoices, and they know that 100% will be paid ”.
Cabello said he understood the damage that charging in January instead of December has, but he also asked for “understanding” to the extent that “it is the first time in history that the rules of the contests have been modified due to the pandemic situation. I understand that a delay of 15 days, taking into account that we are more than two and a half months late in the deadlines of what is a normal Carnival, with the degree of uncertainty we have, and guaranteeing 100% of the payments It is understandable ”.
The councilor recalled that “this is the only Oafar game that is fully guaranteed. Not in vain, last year, the payment of 70% of the contracts was made for their participation in a Carnival that was virtual ”.
The groups that will receive these financial contributions are the formations of Santa Cruz duly constituted and registered in the official public bodies. Newly registered or unconsolidated groups will receive 20% of the fee stipulated in the contribution for the corresponding modality. To collect the full amount of the contract, the groups must accumulate at least five years of participation in the Carnival.
On the other hand, groups that do not receive an economic contribution from OAFAR may be invited to participate in the Carnival events that the organization deems appropriate.
The agreement signed between the City Council and each Carnival group establishes that the groups undertake to participate in the events that are held on the occasion of the festivities. The interventions of the carnival must adjust to the program, place, date and time that appear fixed in the festive calendar. As well as the rehearsals and preparations for carnival 2022.
In addition, the formations will be responsible for their components acting properly disguised and maintaining correct behavior.
For its part, the Consistory, through OAFAR, undertakes to make payments in two installments. The first payment proposed as an advance will be made within the month of January 2022, upon presentation of the duly established invoice.
