Axcel Finance, an innovative microfinance institution dedicated to providing quick micro-loans to gainfully employed individuals and small businesses here, has launched an innovative concept in time for Saint Lucia Carnival 2013. Axcel Finance is partnering with the Toxik Nation carnival band to launch the “Jump With Ease For Carnival” promotion in time for celebrations in July. The promotion will offer working class revelers the opportunity to secure a short term loan to facilitate their participation in carnival.
During the promotion’s launch Axcel Finance’s chief financial officer Roger Inglis expressed his delight at partnering with Toxik Nation and all revelers of carnival in Saint Lucia.
“This promotion is the first of its kind in the Eastern Caribbean and we want to thank Toxik Nation for bringing this idea to us and for allowing us to partner with them on this venture,” Inglis stated. “We have asked them to allow us to extend it to all revelers on the island besides their members and we have also asked that the concept be extended to other islands where Axcel finance operates,” he added. Inglis then disclosed that plans are already afoot to launch similar promotions in Antigua, Barbados and Grenada.
“We have taken this fantastic idea brought to us by Toxik Nation to extend it to the wider Caribbean. This is something exciting for us and for Saint Lucia Carnival and in our mind this will bring forth greater participation in carnival this year,” the CFO said.
According to Inglis, since starting operations here just over a year ago Axcel finance have focused on securing short term loans mainly for health care, education, home furnishings and education but have attempted to meet other demands as dictated by the needs of the population.
“We are now looking to invest in carnival and through this promotion we are demonstrating our commitment to its development,” Inglis stated. He then went on to explain that the loan process for carnival will be made quite simple once the reveler signs up with one of the participating bands. “They then bring us the registration form along with valid IDs, a recent utility bill and job letter for the loan to be processed. Once that is approved, the payment for the costume will be made directly to the bands relieving them of the hassle of having to collect monies for costumes.”
Shannon Lebourne, Toxik Nation’s marketing manager, thanked Roger Inglis and his team during the launch of the promotion.
“Toxik Nation is extremely pleased to partner with Axcel Finance to introduce another innovation for carnival 2013. Axcel finance jump with ease speaks to our mandate as a carnival band to develop strategic partnerships with members of corporate Saint Lucia to really grow the carnival product and this partnership with Axcel finance allows us to do just that,” he said. He also went on to reveal that this year the finance company would also be sponsoring Toxik’s participation in the King and Queen of the bands competition.
Karen Tobierre expressed the pleasure of the Carnival Select Committee at being part of the new initiative.
“Toxik Nation seems to be trendsetters for carnival in Saint Lucia having come up with a number of innovative and very creative ideas over the last few years of their existence,” she said. “I also want to commend Axcel Finance and it is great that these two entities can come together to come up with this promotion especially Axcel Finance for coming on board with the carnival festival in general for 2013.”
A handful of bands have already unveiled their costume portrayals for carnival 2013 with a number of others expected to do so before the end of May. Some bands have also started registering revelers for the two-day street festival on July 15 and 16. Axcel Finance is hoping the ‘Jump With Ease For Carnival,’ promotion will be embraced by revelers for St Lucia carnival 2013.
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