Miami, FL

Organizers of the popular Miami Caribbean Carnival have been told by the Miramar City Commission their request to have their annual celebration at Miramar Park October 7 has been turned down because of the amount of trash left at previous sites.

Via Trinadad Express we learn that complaints from the previous years led to the decision:

"Representatives from Lockhart Stadium and Markham Park complained about trash left after the event. And Markham Park had about 25,000 attendees at Carnival last year, although the park can only hold about 15,000 people,’’ stated a report from the Miami Herald on-line news.

In defence, organizers of the Broward Caribbean Carnival stated that the event was a major boost to Broward County and would help showcase Caribbean culture, as 26 per cent of Miramer’s population is of Caribbean origin.

Some commissioners in fact voted for the five-year-old international event, saying that there were no incidents of crime or structural damage at previous Carnivals and Miramar should be given a chance.

"What you are talking about is garbage that can be cleaned up,’’ one of the commissioners told the Miami Herald.

Organizers estimate they pump $60 million into the local economy, as the interest the international event stirs is beneficial for local eateries and hotels.

An alternative venue has not yet been determined.

Here’s hoping they land somewhere better.

Miami, Miami Caribbean Carnival, Miramar Park