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UPDATE: Piecemeal contributions hindering timely payments - Vanterpool Jr

- Little Dix Bay announced as parade winners
Chairman of the VG Festival Committee, Rupert Vanterpool Jr expressed that he piecemeal contributions from sponsors have hampered payments to festival participants. Photo: VINO/File
VG Festival Calypso Queen, Joycelyn Searles aka Sistah Joyce, allegedly received none of her promised payment following her victory, even up to the time of her incarceration. Photo: VINO/File
VG Festival Calypso Queen, Joycelyn Searles aka Sistah Joyce, allegedly received none of her promised payment following her victory, even up to the time of her incarceration. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Chairman of the Virgin Gorda Festival Committee, Mr Rupert Vanterpool Jr, has sought to clear the air on issues surrounding this year’s VG Festival prizes and payments following the publication of an article by this news site earlier today, May 14, 2013.

“We’re still waiting on three sponsors (to make payments), at the same time, we are making payments as little or as big as they are,” Vanterpool stated.

He was hopeful that payments would come from sponsors at a faster rate so that a one-time payment could be made to participants of the festival. The Chairman observed that the situation was a delicate one and is being treated with the greatest sense of importance.

Vanterpool further expressed that payments are being made periodically to various businesses and individuals who are owed on the basis of monies being received by sponsors.

“It depends on what is in the account and when things are cleared, to ensure that no one gets any returned cheques… when we know that these cheques are cleared then we can go and write some more cheques to ensure that everybody gets payment,” Vanterpool added.

He also noted that his position was a voluntary one and dismissed any notion that he was being rewarded monetarily for his involvement in the management of the festival.

The Chairman further noted that his group is working diligently and have reformed the committee with a view to next year’s festival in Virgin Gorda.

According to the Chairman, the group meets on Tuesdays and anyone is welcome to join the meetings if they have a desire to become involved.

See below for results of the VG Festival Parade:

                        Troupe                               Float                                   Visiting
Adult    1st        Little Dix Bay            Valley-Sound Lions                     Sebastian Majorettes
            2nd       Bucks                                                                       St. Thomas Majorettes
 
Child     1st       Diah & Friends
            2nd      Twirling Striders

See previous story posted on May 14, 2013:

Mystery surrounds VG Festival prizes & payments

- Festival Chair denies sponsorship withdrawals

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Mystery continues to overshadow the Virgin Gorda (VG) Festival almost six weeks after it has ended with prizes still having not been distributed to winners.

Reports have been received that at least one festival sponsor has either withdrawn or reneged on a promise of funds, subsequently forcing committee members to scramble in search of alternatives.

Chairman of the VG Festival Committee, Mr Rupert Vanterpool Jr, has denied that this is the case but remains tight lipped about the distribution of prizes and any scheduled date for performers to receive their winnings.

The Virgin Gorda Festival was completed on April 1, 2013 with the VG Parade, a winner for which is yet to be officially announced.

When contacted about specifics regarding the prize distribution and announcements, Vanterpool would only offer that these would be done “shortly”, and offered no details or commitment to any time-frame for the payment of performers and prize winners.

When asked about a date, Vanterpool said he had to double check “many things” before a public announcement could be made regarding the prizes for winners of the various VG Festival competitions.

When the VG Festival was first announced, Vanterpool expressed that his committee would be striving to achieve maximum accountability, but events following the Festival have proven otherwise, especially in the area of transparency.

VG Festival Calypso winner, Joycelyn Searles aka Sistah Joyce allegedly received none of her promised payment following her victory, even up to the time of her incarceration.

Attempts to contact Chairman of the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee, Mr Marvin Blyden, to shed additional light on the affairs of the Virgin Gorda Festival proved unsuccessful up to post time.

22 Responses to “UPDATE: Piecemeal contributions hindering timely payments - Vanterpool Jr”

  • critic (14/05/2013, 07:48) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
    I've told you all that this guy is green and he only had mouth.
  • pat (14/05/2013, 07:56) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    good for bringing this out dem owe all ah we $$$$$
  • Hmm (14/05/2013, 08:25) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    hmmmmpppp
  • Real Talk (14/05/2013, 08:35) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply

    lets get the truth out there.... this is a disgrace.. committee allegedly taking commission on people contracts, paying out deposits and payments without invoices? this b**. needs sum j@il. VG need a new committee with responsible members. i just hope mr. blyden and mr. walwin fix this mess. this was a disaster from the beginning. shame shame shame!!! if i was systa joyce, i wud break outta prison just to slap this b** silly.

  • wat ah ting (14/05/2013, 08:39) Like (1) Dislike (3) Reply
    just look at this dude business to begin with and you wud kno that this was a mistake from day 1 choosing him for president of the committee. bad attitude, no respect for ppl, disorganized.
  • vg 2 da bone (14/05/2013, 08:49) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    how can u bring coney island on a promise to pay??? poor mismanagement,, please bring back franky and the last years committee.. they are more organized. junior have to go man.. this is crazy. now government have to scrape up tax payers money to fix this mess. if we cant afford coney island, just leave it out. simple
  • Darvin George son (14/05/2013, 09:13) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    R.İ.P Daddy...but the way they handel the carnival in your name was beyound sick and they not working hard to fix it..they playing it like its a game. You were a stong good man and we was to have a carnival like no other "but" the results are beyound sick. To ready today that people have not been paid till this day cant be accepted.

    Virgin Gorda Love My daddy Darvin George and they know he would not like the results of this year carnival.

    İ really hope the people get some kind of justice or something. After a person done work, they should be paid.

    Love and respect to Darvin George A very good man thats had a $hity carnival.
  • The original Realist (14/05/2013, 09:32) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    That why I do not waste my time with VG festival to begin with....It is pure nonsence
    • Real Talk (14/05/2013, 11:13) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      vg festival is not nonsense, is the ppl they put this year made it nonsense.. junior was the nonsense to begin with.. poor choice for president. he has to be replaced. No if ands or buts. real talk
  • Pleaseeeee (14/05/2013, 14:14) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply

    Please, you will learn you cant count your chicken before they hatch. You shouldn't have relied on sponsor money before you received it. Didn't you see what happened to the previous committee with L*Me. They didn't sponsor the amount that was agreed. So in other words if the sponsors don't pay out the money the people wont get paid. Are you kidding me? You should have ensured that all the prize money for the participants were paid out first. You have revamped the committee, you mean you need to resign from the committee. It was the worst in all the years that I have attended. You need an attitude change first dude. Your attitude ST*NK$....

  • vG QUEEN (14/05/2013, 15:39) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    HEY sISTER jOYCE i WON qUEEN IN vG IN 1994 AND HAVE NOT RECEIVE PRIZES ITS EXACT 19 YEARS NOW. i WILL NEVER AGAIN WAIT MY TIME PARTICIPATING IN THESE THINGS. omg TIME HAVE FLY.
  • facts man (14/05/2013, 16:47) Like (3) Dislike (11) Reply
    Myron took the money for a $100g dinner and 96 to pay barnes so there is no money ppl
  • larry King (14/05/2013, 19:22) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply

    Correct me if I'm wrong. This committee got a hundred thousand dollars straight. They had 2 shows, and a few fundraisers. Now you telling me it don't have any money to pay for prizes. Something is wrong here people, this just don't add up. The last committee got 50,000 dollars 2 weeks before easter and and the other the Thursday after easter Monday. They had more than 2 shows, a jouvert they had to pay for and fundraisers. And all the participants got their prizes by the Tuesday after Easter Monday.

    We need answers from the Chairman and his treasurer as to what happen and yes this needs to be lay in the House before August. How can you be planning for 2014 and 2013 is not even completed, so you can know exactly how to budget for 2014. Trust me the same s#!t will happen.

  • ann (14/05/2013, 22:59) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    oh boy
  • 1 (14/05/2013, 23:55) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    JUST ONE FESTIVAL AND THEY BROKE ALREADY...STRUPPPSSS
  • ice cream (15/05/2013, 09:45) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Today is the 15th of May, I getting my money today. HE HE
  • vg massive (15/05/2013, 10:58) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    when election comes around its gonna be intresting, i heard the white man them giving out big checks for resendency.
    • . (16/05/2013, 11:50) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      So NDP been doing it since the last time they were in. Money for residency, more money for belongers. People who been there a couple years getting belongers. How does that happen?


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