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Trefor A. Grant In! Kishma A. Baronville Out! as Festival Comm. Chair

- Hon Myron V. Walwyn is now on his 3rd Festival Committee Chair in 5 years
Cabinet has reportedly agreed to replace Kishma A. Baronville (right) with Trefor A. Grant (left) as the BVI Festival and Fairs Committee Chairperson. Photo: VINO/File
Culture Minister Hon Myron V. Walwyn (right) is now on his 3rd Festival Committee Chair in 5 years after the first Chair Mr Marvin ‘MB’ Blyden (left) called it quits in 2015. Photo: VINO/File
Culture Minister Hon Myron V. Walwyn (right) is now on his 3rd Festival Committee Chair in 5 years after the first Chair Mr Marvin ‘MB’ Blyden (left) called it quits in 2015. Photo: VINO/File
The Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee is responsible for the four festivals in the Territory: the Easter Festival on Virgin Gorda, and on Tortola- the East End, Road Town and Carrot Bay festivities during July and August. Photo: VINO/File
The Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee is responsible for the four festivals in the Territory: the Easter Festival on Virgin Gorda, and on Tortola- the East End, Road Town and Carrot Bay festivities during July and August. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Word just reaching our newsroom is that upon the recommendation of the Minister for Education and Culture, Cabinet has agreed to replace Kishma A. Baronville with Trefor A. Grant as the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee Chairperson.

Information obtained by our newsroom is that Mr Grant will serve for one year and his appointment is effective from February 20, 2017.

Speaking exclusively to our newsroom, Mr Grant said "I am happy to serve in this capacity as festival in its entirety is very dear to me."

Chair no 3 under Walwyn

The public will recall that the other two chairs of the BVI Festival Committee had a rough tenure from 2012 to 2016 under the Culture Minister Hon Myron V. Walwyn.

The first Chair, Marvin 'MB' Blyden, was blunt in his first two reports of 2012 and 2013 where he blasted most of the committee sub chairs, including legislator Hon Alvera Maduro-Caines (R6), who headed up the Prince and Princess Committee, calling for new blood and a different way of doing things.

The former Chairman Blyden labeled in his 2013 report the BVI Tourist Board was ineffective in its promotion of the Festivals.

In 2015, Mr Blyden expressed his unwillingness to continue; however, some alleged over political reasons and lack of funding. The Minister via Cabinet appointed Kishma A. Baronville in 2015.

Ms Baronville had submitted her resignation over being made a scapegoat for the financial challenges when in fact Mr Walwyn did not provide the funding though his Ministry. It is reported that Walwyn begged her to say on, which she did.

Minister Walwyn is now on his third Chairman in that of Mr Grant. When Minister Walwyn took office in 2011 he promised the people that the Virgin Islands (VI) Festivals will be on budget and properly organised.

The Festival in disarray & disrespect to Hon Fraser & Hodge-Smith

Well from 2012 we have had overruns, declining participation (except for 2014 when the VI celebrated 60 years), scandal and confusion over pay to locals bands and artiste year after year once they finished performing for Festival, and claims of blatant political interference by Hon Walwyn, the subject Minister.

In 2016 the Festival hit a low point when the former Leader of the Opposition Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) was kicked off the opening ceremony programme in Road Town while he was on his way to the ceremony after being invited.

Director of Culture Mrs Luce Hodge-Smith told the public her directive to do that came from Minister Walwyn, who was disrespectful to her in the matter. She has since filed a complaint with the Deputy Governor on Mr Walwyn's unprofessional behaviour, according to a local media report, but the matter was swept under the rug.

The Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee is responsible for the Easter Festival on Virgin Gorda, as well as the East End, Road Town and Carrot Bay Festivals.

33 Responses to “Trefor A. Grant In! Kishma A. Baronville Out! as Festival Comm. Chair”

  • chad (21/02/2017, 19:51) Like (19) Dislike (1) Reply
    he going last only until the VG festival then he will learn the other side of myrun
  • Stella (21/02/2017, 19:55) Like (18) Dislike (2) Reply
    This instability is terrible
  • See (21/02/2017, 19:56) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
    mvw behavior is the beginning of the fear that is used in authoritarian regimes to gain control.
  • My Take (21/02/2017, 20:00) Like (14) Dislike (7) Reply
    Why is no one reporting on the incredible damage that this ball head man has done to our culture?
  • VG (21/02/2017, 20:02) Like (27) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is one of the very few mvw decisions that I can support, Mr. grant will do an excellent job
  • insider (21/02/2017, 20:20) Like (34) Dislike (1) Reply
    At this stage it does not matter who the chairman is as money is going to be a big problem.
  • Yeah! (21/02/2017, 20:24) Like (32) Dislike (2) Reply
    Miss Baronville had difficulty communicating with persons amicably. I think she meant well but her people skills was lacking terribly. Festival suffered much under her leadership.
    • K (22/02/2017, 03:46) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
      Who hold the post is not the major issue... The teal issue would be government support and the team they put together...
    • Local bands radio stations entertainers. Major part of our failure (22/02/2017, 04:35) Like (20) Dislike (1) Reply
      I've been an advocate for more participation and Domination of local entertainment in our festival. I thought that was the way to grow it... I've have a changed of heart. They have disappointed me big time..You don't hear about them until festival. Seems like they all waiting for festival to knock up something and charge the committee a lot of money that they can't play for. .because they are not out there playing frequently perfecting their craft...they all about big money..Vybz is the only thing we have close to been a real good band with it own soldiers .. Another thing.. They need to ban make up bands for festival... Festival come then some members from this band that band come together to go make money. Festival committee need to look into that. Get established band with established members... Let's look back s bit. Ecstasy, entrepreneur. Prime time. Splash, extreme, these were bands that go to war with their own soldiers. That's what we need to promote.. I remember as a committee member I can tell you these bands will give us a free night. They will get like 4 to 5 nights between town and east end. It was more of a local thing then. The local use to pull their weight. We will have jam band and imagination come across but the local bands use to compete... Now we need good entertainment we have to bring across kool sessions... Sad... The BVI musicians are not committed its all about money they don't even practice because majority of them see that as a waste of time..they have to get into the habit of practicing if they want to have good chemistry. A strong army and be in a position to compete.. No brass band in the bvi. I'm a lover of live brass music.mature entertainment.
      Kool sessions I don't mis that... Any brass band in the village I don't miss that... Another thing its time for festival committee to get their own radio station to blow up the culture and the festival all year long. These big Radio station only killing the thing. You can't blame them. Anything private is about profit... In the middle of festival you hearing Jamaican reggae or American hip hop they do it for spite because festival committee chose to advertise with another station. We have to find a solution to that. We can't allowel that to continue. Get our own push our own grow our own big up our own dis our own praise our own love our own...Time yo push forward with the backhoe mentality blow the thing up.
      • @LOCAL BANDS.... (22/02/2017, 10:33) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
        The late Chief Lavity did a great thing by adding a serious music program into the high school section. Out of that came Ecstacy and Prime Time. I was particularly proud of these two bands and that thy could hold their own alongside the then Jamband and Burnin Flames. I ask in fear, what has become of our music program as all Im hearing is rhythm boxes? Also, as a VIslander, as festival approaches it used to be customary to hear plenty chune on the radio. Now for that experience I have to listen to STT and STX stations around when their carnival/festival is approaching. On their stations tis true local hosts here hmmmm
  • Fairly Good (21/02/2017, 21:15) Like (20) Dislike (1) Reply
    I think Grant is a good pick.
  • friend (21/02/2017, 21:48) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    Congratulations Trefor!! You have always conducted yourself with dignity and professionalism. I am certain that you will do a excellent job.
  • Yay! (21/02/2017, 23:39) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Yess !!!! She is gone ! Thank god! Welcome Mr.Grant!
  • Instability (22/02/2017, 03:35) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    You cannot grow the festival with instability.. Changing every year or two...Trevor is a good guy. We need stability to grow... Kishma just getting a grasp of the teal issues and I'm sure she has a solution plan for going forward... In other countries Carnival chair people are there for lots of years... Hence they improve they grow.
  • Street reporter (22/02/2017, 03:49) Like (5) Dislike (10) Reply
    Kisma had the right plans to grow festival but she wasn't getting the support from government or her team.. Kishma was the real deal...
  • chad (22/02/2017, 08:15) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Like it going to be any different no money how can you any good under the NDP all is just talk you all will see
  • Jimmy smith (22/02/2017, 08:56) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    I hope my friend Trevor knows what he getting himself into , festival committee is a den of crooked crooks. There are people there who make a good deal on some of events ,they are going to pull the wool over his eyes.
  • move mvw (22/02/2017, 09:04) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
    What about changing the Minister? Dr Smith where is the cabinet reshuffle?
  • 2015 no jobs (22/02/2017, 12:39) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Shameful that less than half the people in this country eligible to cast a vote do not while the young people who voted was fooled off again
  • bag (22/02/2017, 12:40) Like (6) Dislike (2) Reply
    I read the comments here and I am of the opinion that bloggers on this site are being very unkind to Kishma. She did the best that she could considering she is a young woman with very limited exposure to the intricacies of running a festival. Secondly, I stand to be corrected but I feel she was given the position to 'save face' and she just could not say 'No,' no doubt out of loyalty perhaps. People are quick to jump and say she and others are not 'people persons,' well I wish you all could shut the hell up. Anyone having to work with SOME PERSONS in and out of government with the different egos and mood swings can be nerve wracking to say the least. So instead of bashing the young woman how about showing some love and offering thanks CONSIDERING she was as the elders would say, 'given basket to carry water in.' Hold your head up child, don't allow the negative comments to weigh you down, instead see what positives you can take away from the experience and the negatives use as a means for professional development. Blessings!!!
  • Political Observer (PO) (22/02/2017, 15:00) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    The Festival and Fairs Committee needs some stability. Stability will not come if every year someone new is at the helm. Supposedly, Ms. Barronville resigned at the end of 2016 and only now a new chairperson is being named. This musical chair situation is not working. Furthermore, the Festival & Fairs Committee needs to be devoid of politics. Too much politics clouding the cultural enjoyment of the Emancipation Festival. The Festival & Fairs function needs to be place under the purview of an independent third party, for government normally has little to no success running anything.
  • --------------------- (22/02/2017, 19:25) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    This appointment is, in essence, giving the wolf free rein in the hen house.
  • he like man (22/02/2017, 19:52) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The headline is a bit misleading, because Kishama was never really in
  • good people (23/02/2017, 14:04) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    MORGAN HARITAGE AND CHRISTOPHER MARTIN FOR FISTIVAL TOWN REGGAE NIGHT PLEASE! THANK YOU
  • festival 2017 (27/02/2017, 07:14) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply

    They wait until the festival run down to the ground. Mr. Grant have alot of work to do but I have confidence in him he will get the job done. hes great. Good pick NDP

  • Diaspora (27/02/2017, 22:58) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Only after sixty years am I beginning to understand Alice in Wonderland.



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