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Festival Sub Committees Demoralised; NO funds!

The Emancipation Festival is held each year in August with celebrations in various communities. Photo: VINO file
This year the festival activities have been rocked by poor planning, lack of adequate promotion, and the cancelation of the annual Miss BVI pageant. Photo: VINO file
This year the festival activities have been rocked by poor planning, lack of adequate promotion, and the cancelation of the annual Miss BVI pageant. Photo: VINO file
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- There are conflicting information coming out of the National Democratic Party (NDP) Administration, as it relates to festival 2018. While its well know that the NDP have left the country broke because of reckless spending, following the Hurricanes of 2017 with financial aid and loans coming in the UK has imposed a alternative Government called the Recovery Board making it difficult for Ministers to get their hands on the public funds.

Many Festival Sub Committee members have expressed to our news desk their disappointment in the Minister for Education and Culture Hon Myron V. Walwyn (AL) and the constant cuts made to their budgets and they claim he micro-manages the events.  

The East End/Long Look Festival Sub Committee was reportedly  told they have to use Showtime Band on the Road whether the committee or people wanted them or not.

Backwards ever 
They were given a mere $10 thousand dollars. There have also been many cut backs in Carrot Bay in which its down to about one day with all the entertainment going to Road Town.

There is also issues of the festival grounds and its readiness for the emancipation celebration.  It is unclear when it will be ready for booths to be erected. Over the years the festivals under Walwyn has declined, with little money, and overseas artistes been paid before locals performers.  

Many of the committee members have been demoralised and as one person stated “can’t wait to have a new minister who can trust his committee to do their jobs”.

 

26 Responses to “Festival Sub Committees Demoralised; NO funds!”

  • 123 (24/07/2018, 16:54) Like (50) Dislike (53) Reply
    anything ball head touch is problems
  • Jaigon Jumbie (24/07/2018, 17:31) Like (85) Dislike (7) Reply
    What is wrong with show time on the road. They want a foreign band to go and pay them thousands of dollars or they want thousands of dollars so that they can dip their hands in it? Greed seems to be the order of the day in this territory now.As far as I am concerned there should not have been a festival this year, we are going through too much right now for such wastage of money that is much needed to do other meaningful things.
  • bvi (24/07/2018, 19:22) Like (20) Dislike (2) Reply
    East end been stealing money for years getting that kick back from foriegn bands, i am glad to see a local band on the road
    • Jen Jen Security (25/07/2018, 15:25) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
      Bottom cash cut short and the private freezers cant get stocked up this year.
  • Bills bills everyday! (24/07/2018, 19:36) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    No body getting paid for this festival.

    So ayo better make it a voluntary event.

    Church out he say???

    Barry say you will hear!
  • TEEFIN OR TEKIN (24/07/2018, 20:07) Like (36) Dislike (0) Reply
    Ten Thousand dollars should be more than enough to hold a rise and shine tramp. We have gotten use to going home with thousands from the events and sailing off on a cruise after festival. Everybody know dem was either teefin or tekin.
  • ee (24/07/2018, 20:16) Like (1) Dislike (9) Reply
    We want ayo moda on da road to, only then we going pile session. With ayo F#@¥
  • Fete is fete (24/07/2018, 20:27) Like (5) Dislike (17) Reply
    Nothing is wrong with showtime on the road but as of right now where has showtime been for years now? Have they dropped a song they haven’t been doing anything for a long time their hype has died down sad to say yes they were once the big band of the bvi but cmon who really going to do that and then the fact that the committee had no choice that nonsense it’s the committees decision to choose who does the jouvert. East end has the title of one the best jouvert in the Caribbean or the VI we bout to just throw that away?
  • duh (24/07/2018, 20:54) Like (47) Dislike (0) Reply
    Really - they are bitching that they can’t spend the money on crap? Um have the committees seen their respective areas? How about organising a community clean up with all those that take part invited to party after with the band instead of wasting money on a jump up with no benefit. Make all those with the energy to party get out on the street and fix the houses and schools in their communities. Long look needs help. Carrot getting there but I am sure there are some household that need help rebuilding.
  • chad (24/07/2018, 22:28) Like (46) Dislike (0) Reply
    The country is not even fully recovered yet, there should have been no festival this year, this money could’ve been invested in the schools. Look now our Eshs students have to still be dealing with these shift system and carrot bay school is suffering. HONERABLE WALWYN OR GOOSE WHAT SHOULD I SAY, IS THIS WHO YALL REALLY WANT RUN THIS COUNTRY HA AYO STAY THERE..
  • Grant (24/07/2018, 23:05) Like (60) Dislike (0) Reply
    It have so much to be done instead of a stupid festival ....this place have not recovered ..it still looks disgusting...
  • tretretrete (24/07/2018, 23:48) Like (21) Dislike (0) Reply
    Vendors and performers still Have NOT been paid for last year
  • My girl (25/07/2018, 08:37) Like (22) Dislike (2) Reply
    They should cancel East End Lonk Look festival altogether and Carrot Bay as well and focus on Road Town. 150k should be enough for all the events. Use the money to help the poor people rebuild their homes. It’s time we get our priorities straight.
  • IJA (25/07/2018, 09:56) Like (17) Dislike (0) Reply
    Are these sub committees doing any sort of fundraising?
  • jokers (25/07/2018, 10:28) Like (5) Dislike (3) Reply
    Y DONT HON. MYRON SAY LET ALLLLLLLLL THE ARTIST STAY AND EAT AT MARIAS HOTEL INSTEAD OF MOORINGS?
  • Really? (25/07/2018, 11:42) Like (15) Dislike (0) Reply
    Geez man, what are our priorities? Will we die if festival does not happen this year? Put the confounded monies being allocated to festival into the infrastructure. This place is crazy! when the fete down and we are still are left to face every government building without a roof, a million pot holes wrecking our cars, debris not secured enough almost a year in and now a new hurricane season, would you still think the fete was worth it and that things were prioritized properly.

    I can't, I am done!
  • 911 (25/07/2018, 12:40) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    what's next
  • Suit Him.. (26/07/2018, 06:04) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    Myron need to listen... All we needed was the Monday Jouvert in Town and Monday all day entertainment in the Village with two Festival fund raising booths one selling drinks one selling food....He wouldnt have gotten all these push backs
  • All this Jazz (26/07/2018, 10:27) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Those heavy rains is getting ready to head this way again folks. That is what you all should be worried about. Not some who, what and why about some lame A** Festival.
  • yogi (26/07/2018, 12:41) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Seemingly the minister does not understand what festival is about. To share, it is our emancipation from slavery. That is the time to show our culture,not Territory Day. We have strayed. That is why government allow all these artistes from overseas to come and collect taxpayers money for the vulgarity they cannot perform in their own countries. What has happened to all the fundraising before festival? Do the queen contestants help with fundraising? The minister must allow true virginlanders who know and understand our culture and what we are celebrating to take charge.


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