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Entertainers call for policy in Labour Code to safeguard local acts

For quite some time the group and several individual local entertainers including band members have been stressing and pleading for equal respect to be given to locals in the industry especially considering on the grounds that they get very little to no respect from organizers of key events and the other being that they are usually grossly underpaid. Photo: VINO
Pressing forward to advance in the entertainment industry and be recognized and respected in their individual craft members of the GRATE BVI Music Alliance met in numbers last Saturday September 20, 2014 at the Purcell Community Centre. One section of the group seen in photograph. Photo: VINO
Pressing forward to advance in the entertainment industry and be recognized and respected in their individual craft members of the GRATE BVI Music Alliance met in numbers last Saturday September 20, 2014 at the Purcell Community Centre. One section of the group seen in photograph. Photo: VINO
At the meeting on Saturday the group was graced with the presence of Attorney at Law Mr Ronald Rowe who has pledged to volunteer his time as a legal advisor cognizant of the fact that he has had extensive years of experience in the entertainment industry. Photo: VINO
At the meeting on Saturday the group was graced with the presence of Attorney at Law Mr Ronald Rowe who has pledged to volunteer his time as a legal advisor cognizant of the fact that he has had extensive years of experience in the entertainment industry. Photo: VINO
Also addressing the group on Saturday on the differences and benefits between copyrighting and registering with a performing right organization was Ms Ritseeniyah Georges-Haughton. Photo: VINO
Also addressing the group on Saturday on the differences and benefits between copyrighting and registering with a performing right organization was Ms Ritseeniyah Georges-Haughton. Photo: VINO
PURCELL, Tortola, VI – Pressing forward to advance in the entertainment industry and be recognized and respected in their individual craft members of the GRATE BVI Music Alliance have put to the Minister for Education and Culture Honourable Myron V. Walwyn that there needs to a policy move on their behalf.

Entertainers of all forms - dancers, musicians, singers, bands among others turned out in their numbers last Saturday September 19, 2014 at the Purcell Community Centre for a meeting of the newly established non-profit organization. While some were members from the get go, several others recently registered as new members adding strength to the group as they seek to advance the causes of local entertainers in the Virgin Islands (VI).

Following their most recent experiences during the 2014 celebrations of Festival in the VI the group had penned a letter to the Hon Minister requesting his intervention in a number of areas.

“There is need for implementation of policies within the Labour Code that addresses hiring a local act or band along with any foreign band that is hired. Attention should be paid to repeated applications from business owners for issuance of temporary work permits to hire foreign acts, excluding local acts for months,” they stated in the letter.

According to President of the organization Mr Eustace ‘Boss’ Freeman the Minister has acceded to their request to looking into their concerns going forward. He also stated that the group is slated to meet with several other key stakeholders in the Territory including the BVI Tourist Board to discuss matters of forging ahead as locals in the entertainment industry.

For quite some time the group and several individual local entertainers including band members have been stressing and pleading for equal respect to be given to locals in the industry especially considering on the grounds that they get very little to no respect from organizers of key events and the other being that they are usually grossly underpaid.

At the meeting on Saturday the group was graced with the presence of Attorney at Law Mr Ronald Rowe who has pledged to volunteer his time as a legal advisor cognizant of the fact that he has had extensive years of experience in the entertainment industry.

Also addressing the group on Saturday on the differences and benefits between copyrighting and registering with a performing right organization was Ms Ritseeniyah Georges-Haughton.

The GRATE BVI Music Alliance is a non-profit organization designed to accomplish the several objectives to the benefit of the VI. Those include the provision of a platform and jobs for artists and entertainers;  education of our people in the field of music and the entertainment industry; promotion of the cohesion of family through music and the arts; mentoring young or less experienced artists towards the goal of perfecting their craft; fostering growth, development and respect among and for artists and entertainers; and; securing the rights and creative works of all artists through copyrighting and registration of radio stations.

 

17 Responses to “Entertainers call for policy in Labour Code to safeguard local acts”

  • qc (22/09/2014, 09:12) Like (8) Dislike (10) Reply
    Do not depend on mvw to help you all he will play politics look for votes and at the end of the day you all will be the same place you were three years ago!
  • MY OPINION (22/09/2014, 09:53) Like (21) Dislike (11) Reply
    My opinion. Working with most local bands and artists in the Virgin Islands is a migraine in itself. Rarely can they bring a crowd that can pay for themselves but they want international treatment and international payment. To put a stipulation on a promoter that they can only bring in an international artist if a local band backs them up is ludacris and pompous of this group if I may say so.
    • with my opinion (22/09/2014, 10:11) Like (28) Dislike (4) Reply
      I think this is going to far. You cannot go so far an large dictate to a "promoter" that they cannot bring in an international act unless they are backed up by a local band. Remember, that the international act is the headliner, the feature, and you are paying THEM their fee for their act. They have a performance band, so why necessarily would you want to disrupt such a flow?. Consider the amount of rehearsal time on island, and the added expense lets say if we bring Damian Marley and have a local band back them up. Think this thing through more objectively. I can say yes you must put a local act on a show. But if it is a private event, those stipulations are draconian. I have no disagreement with the local bands seeking better treatment. But they must give value for money which they are not.

      Some of these bands have great potential, but further work is needed on honing their craft. I hope that they seek to address that holistically, as they demand better treatment.
    • wize up (22/09/2014, 16:39) Like (1) Dislike (6) Reply
      let me simply say this; those artist that are rich and famous now was not always like that; we should give our own artist the opportunity...we are not giving our own the chance...WTF !!!!!!
  • AC 360 (22/09/2014, 09:55) Like (10) Dislike (3) Reply
    you all saying u all local .Becareful of those two jamdown who want to be legal advisors.Have u all seen THE HARDER THEY COME.Watch u all backs................
  • crazy (22/09/2014, 11:39) Like (17) Dislike (6) Reply
    These band members are always the ones to make the most noise and never the one that can attract enough people to an event to five the promoter a profit. Their attitudes stink, they lack communication skills and they are depending on promoters to pay their bills. Go sit down with this request please abs thanks.
  • Future (22/09/2014, 12:36) Like (16) Dislike (3) Reply
    It is funny to hear "so called" BVIslanders talking this way as I have seen in the comments above. The request stated " hiring a local act or band along with any foreign band that is hired." Our local bands already play for most international artistes. Our local singers also back them up. To say that the talent is not there is ludicrous. These bands have to learn songs for 4-8 artistes in a short time (due to disorganization) and then have one week to practice with the artistes, these international artistes then get paid 30k and the band can't $3500, or passes to get in the gate. So those who don't know need to keep their mouth shut. If you cant say anything positive about a positive movement then just read and forward on. We already know BVIslander can't speak positive about their own until someone else accepts them. This is sad. The point of this is to make it easier for our youths, the same ones that refuse to come out with their talent because of negative people.
    • @future (23/09/2014, 14:51) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Keeping with the line of thinking that you are pushing. The same said "local bands" do NOT use all of their musicians. They tend to hire other musicians from other bands or from the neighboring Virgin Islands which results in them having to request a greater fee. Please tell me which one of these local bands have played a full set of a duration of more than one and one half hour for an international artiste, with their regular band composition? Name one please
  • sad day (22/09/2014, 12:37) Like (12) Dislike (5) Reply
    Sad Day in the BVI when BVI Artist/Musicians can't stand up for their rights....SMDH, Push you movement and know the Haters gonna hate.....how and where do i join?
  • x factor (22/09/2014, 14:46) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    Hope this is not just more talk and no action
  • Read (22/09/2014, 16:16) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    The statement made is referring to the hiring of international artist without a local artist . This has been going on within the hotel industry for a couple years now and it's a great concern I think this committee is raising
  • jah know (22/09/2014, 18:31) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Sum ppl are so negative..fight dwn their own. How wud u feel if outsiders are given first preference at your work place.??this is a fair and reasonable request for a gd cause. I applaud this movmnt. Unity is always gd.
  • @ Jah Know (23/09/2014, 15:02) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Unity is good. The Virgin Islands as a whole has great musicians. Most of them are not seen playing in clubs and the like. They are in the schools teaching. Drexel Glasgow, Andre Brathwaite, Kamau George's, Dalan Vanterpool. All I am saying right now is that the local bands may have one or two " real" talented individuals, while the others see it as a hobby or another money making opportunity, so they do NOTHING else to develop themselves. Additionally, their ability to communicate on any level is lacking as they stay confined to one area, and don't seek to broaden their knowledge base. Then they their are some who have little "egos" who cannot take constructive criticism geared towards helping them advance. And of course their is a sense of " entitlement" because they are allegedly " local". That term suits them for their own personal advantage, but they on the flip of a dime will belittle and incite division among the same locals and laugh. This all takes away from the truly talented ones from being able to get their just rewards. I must also say that ALL local musicians cannot expect equal recognition or treatment among each other. Like international artistes, they too had to walk the walk,have sleepless nights, and toil to get their acclamation. Yet all are NOT on equal status. So again deal with this thing more directly. Additionally for argument sake please name a few private events where NONE no NOT one local artist was NOT on the card.
  • white local (23/09/2014, 20:54) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply

    Them are sh.t m.nkey

  • Ummmm (27/09/2014, 20:15) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Before you perform, sign a contract. If there is a breach go to court...


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