Members of the Caribana Arts Group (CAG) will meet on Saturday at Metro Hall in Toronto to discuss several outstanding issues affecting the future of the organization and its role in the 50th anniversary celebration of the Toronto carnival.

One of the hot button items for discussion is the proposal made recently  by the Festival Management Committee (FMC) to promote the Toronto Carnival by the brand name “Caribana” and to for both the FMC and the CAG to work together in putting on next year’s carnival.

(The FMC has been running the festival for the last ten years.)

It is still unclear on what terms both parties will be able collaborate  and whether only the FMC will be responsible for seeking funding and applying for grants on behalf of the festival.

Several GAC members say that the issue of seeking funding and applying for grants is an extremely  sensitive one. In the words of irate member, this  issue alone ” could tear the organization apart.”

Some other members say that it is important for the future of Caribana that cool heads prevail.

One of them noted that the CAG  was unable to move ” full speed ahead” with its plans for the 50th anniversary of the festival because of ” financial and other problems ” plaguing the organization.