Cromwell Smith mulls lacklustre support of VI Festival
The celebrations saw minimum turnouts to the calypso show, torching light procession, Emancipation Service [relocated to Sir Rupert Briercliffe Hall], among others. Activities that were usually well attended flopped, including the East End/Long Look Parade, the August Monday Parade in Road Town, and the Carrot Bay Cultural Fiesta, which prompted the Minister for Education and Culture Hon Myron V. Walwyn, to suggest a national discussion on the way in which the populace wants the emancipation celebrations to be like as soon as the “dust settles.”
Cromwell Smith, aka Edju En Ka, used his weekly radio programme, Umoja, on ZBVI 780 AM on Thursday August 11, 2016, to make his voice heard on the matter which has been on everyone's lips.
On one hand, he is questioning whether the lack of adequate historical knowledge is affecting the genuine community involvement while on the other hand, he is querying whether education is enough to do the work.
“We talk about the challenges that we have from the festival and to me a lot of it stems from the lack of knowledge because there is no community participation, and the question is can we have true community participation without true community knowledge?” he asked.
On the other hand, he said some people develop a negative idea towards the festival regardless of how much education and information that is brought to light to bring more awareness and to put it in better perspective.
To further cement his argument, one female caller joined in the conversation, stating rather bluntly that she does not participate in the activities since they are not done to her liking and she is not the only one sharing that view.
“I think that what is happening is the way that some of those activities are conducted, there is a large part of the population that does not subscribe to how things are done,” the female caller to the programme said.
Many felt that they were not “feeling” the festival and as a result, opted for the comforts of home.
Others have said the festival, under Culture Minister Hon Myron V. Walwyn, has become too political.
18 Responses to “Cromwell Smith mulls lacklustre support of VI Festival”
Who are no longer with us. I miss them and think about them everyday but, I am glad that they are not around to see what has become of the BVI that they loved so much.
All these armchair experts! When people were involved with Festival all they did was chastise and talk £$$% about how they're dressed. Now the have nothing to talk about because people refuse to participate in their hypocritical fest, they are now wondering what went wrong. What a pack of a$$*s.