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‘Tourist Board useless in marketing Festival’ - 2013 Report

-Report described the BVI Tourist Board as ‘leaving much to be desired’ and promises not fulfilled in terms of 2012 & 2013 Festival Marketing; Former Virgin Gorda Festival Chairman Mr Rupert S. Vanterpool under fire again
The 2013 Festival report blasted the BVI TB saying, “in 2012 and 2013 Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee was promised certain promotional plans by the BVI TB, but these were never realised at the level that they were promised.” The report dubbed the BVI Tourist Board as useless in marketing the Festival activities. Photo: VINO/File
The 2013 report stated that the VIF&FC received a report from Mr. Rupert S. Vanterpool the then Chairman of the Virgin Gorda Festival Committee, however “monies showing outstanding compared to monies that were paid out in outstanding debt could not be accurately compared.” Photo: VINO/File
The 2013 report stated that the VIF&FC received a report from Mr. Rupert S. Vanterpool the then Chairman of the Virgin Gorda Festival Committee, however “monies showing outstanding compared to monies that were paid out in outstanding debt could not be accurately compared.” Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - When it comes to the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee reports, they take no prisoners and in a candid way they tell it like they see it.

The 2013 Report which was laid on the Table of the House of Assembly on September 25, 2014 is no different.

BVI TB leaves much to be desired - promises made not kept!

Taxpayers and Government Leaders will have to be very concerned that the BVI Tourist Board (BVITB) receives from the government coffers millions and millions of dollars to market the Virgin Islands and has engaged many high priced overseas marketing firms to help them carry out this mandate.

However, the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee 2013 report has dubbed the BVI Tourist Board as useless in marketing the Festival activities.

One will need to ask if they cannot market the Festival how could they market the entire Virgin Islands?

In the report on page 13 it stated that “Marketing for Festival leaves much to be desired”. It went on to say that at this stage of Festival development, marketing needs to be separately funded and no longer dependent on funds from the BVI Tourist Board.

The report blasted the BVI TB saying, “in 2012 and 2013 Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee was promised certain promotional plans by the BVI TB, but these were never realised at the level that they were promised.”

The Director of the BVI Tourist Board is Mrs. Sharon Flax and the Chairman is Russell Harrigan.

VG Festival - Rupert S. Vanterpool under fire again!

According to the report the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee (VIF&FC) became more hands on with the Virgin Gorda Festival Committee in 2013. However, while they were more involved “there seemed to be miscommunications between the executive body and the Sub-Committee.”

The 2013 report stated that the VIF&FC received a report from Mr. Rupert S. Vanterpool the then Chairman of the Virgin Gorda Festival Committee, however “monies showing outstanding compared to monies that were paid out in outstanding debt could not be accurately compared.”

The 2013 report said, “in fact, the sub Committee nearly doubled their budget based on outstanding invoices received and paid by the VIF&FC.”

In addition, the report claims that, “there were several complaints made by members of the Virgin Gorda Festival Committee expressing their dissatisfaction with the management style displayed by the Sub-Committee Chairman.”

The VI Festival and Fairs Committee will have to work even more closely with the Virgin Gorda Festival Committee for the 2014 Festival Celebrations the report concluded.

Lack of funding another issue

The VI Festival and Fairs Committee report of 2013 claim that in 2012 the Festival needed at least $1.3 Million to manage it effectively. “Unfortunately, once again we were only given $640,500.00 which automatically puts the Committee at a deficit,” the report said.

This area needs to be seriously addressed by the Government, if they wish to have a successful celebration as the VIF &FC is responsible for Festival celebrations in four locations with that sum and even as the Committee continues to cut cost, it is still not adequate, the report asserts.

The Chairman of the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee is Mr Marvin 'MB' Blyden and the Minister for Culture is the controversial Honourable Myron V. Walwyn.

 

11 Responses to “‘Tourist Board useless in marketing Festival’ - 2013 Report ”

  • smh (29/09/2014, 08:34) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
    Why the ndp dont want to make the report on tourist board public? Famous ndp names will be published?
  • just asking..... (29/09/2014, 08:40) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Good point what they doing with the marketing money?
  • qc (29/09/2014, 11:19) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    What can the tourist Board do right? What about the St. Lucian women they have up in dey playing her a ton of $$$$$
  • Pusha TON (29/09/2014, 13:02) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    The person running the department USELESS.
  • JACK BE STILL (29/09/2014, 15:02) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    The tb is a waste of time
  • Tigress (29/09/2014, 15:19) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Useless is too good a word for the director!!! More ignorant and needs some culture is more like it. All the TB good for is dressing and discrimination of persons who do their work well. My take get rid of all of them. director, hr people, standards people especially, sen the pack of them to HLSCC for training. Waste of taxpayers money all of them
  • one eye (29/09/2014, 15:33) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    What else is new with our Tourist Board Dollars?
  • staff (29/09/2014, 18:30) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Mars and Harrigan need to be replaced right away
  • Talker (30/09/2014, 04:34) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    D vg wing of TB is a family run affair Ck d $ support to fishing programme as to fishing competetion
  • * (30/09/2014, 12:46) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Doh mess wit Queen Sharon and her Kingdom of Gorda! It's her world, the rest of us just live in it!


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