Chairwoman Karina Stapensea of the Royal Association of Popular Entertainment in Groningen has resigned after three-quarters of a year. The reason is a conflict with treasurer Eric UA-Sai. He recently lost faith in her.
Stapensea announced its decision via an email to those directly and indirectly involved. This means that the association, which organizes the annual celebration of Groningen’s Relief on August 28 and the Sinterklaas arrival, now finds itself without a chairman, without a vice-chairman and without a secretary.
Behind the trust issue initiated by the treasurer lies a conflict about the celebration of Volksvermaken’s 150th anniversary on June 26 this year. Reportedly, Sai wanted an extensive celebration, but it was completely unclear to the other Volksvermakers how and how this should be paid for. Stapensea previously complained that the treasurer did not want to provide insight into the financial situation of the association.
Anger after an administrative intervention
When Sai left for Suriname for a few weeks’ holiday, the board canceled plans in his absence. Still, Stapensea writes in her email, she and the other board members should not have looked at the state of the greenhouse.
After his return, the story goes, Sai became so angry about this intervention that he lost his trust in Stapensea. For her, this was the straw that broke the camel’s back. The board had already been working stripped down for a year, and now this: ‘With so much resistance, I prefer to use my time and energy for other things,’ she writes in her email.
Stapensea and Sai both do not want to comment on the course of events. Stapensea: “Other than the announcement I made about it internally and to a number of external contacts, I have nothing to report.” Sai, before the question has even been asked: “I don’t have an answer. Nothing has even been said about it internally.”
Last year, board members already left due to a conflict
What happens at Volksvermaken has long had more to do with bumblebees than with entertainment and is anything but royal. Three quarters of a year ago, board members Henk Yspeert and then Floris Bosma left in a conflictual situation. As a result, members of the education committee also quit. All this happened simultaneously with the retirement of Harrie van Ham as chairman.
The administrative chaos comes at a time when the association is already in dire straits. It is unclear how she wants to finance the festivities during Bommen Berend and Sinterklaas. The required number of volunteers is lacking. And the complicated licensing process is not conducive either.
‘Unable to get activities to catch on’
In addition, Stapensea admitted in an interview in this newspaper that Volksvermaken is not successful in making its activities appeal to a large audience with new ideas. The organization cannot do without municipal contributions, but the town hall previously asked whether Volksvermaken was not spending too many money on itself, instead of on the people.
Stapensea, who lives in Eelde and is the official works council secretary at Cosis in her daily life, had been involved with the Royal Association of Popular Entertainment for more than two decades before her chairmanship, first as an administrative assistant. She was the first female president of the association. In times of stature, it received the city’s Medal of Honor and was designated an intangible heritage.
The college waits before responding: talk first
The latter indicates the importance that the municipality of Groningen attaches to the celebration of Groningen’s Relief and the Sinterklaas arrival, although Volksvermaken does not say that this importance is reflected in the support of its activities. The Municipal Executive has stated that it will only provide a substantive response after a discussion with the association. Or what’s left of it.