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VG Easter Festival Sub-Committee resigns

The Virgin Gorda Easter Festival Sub Committee, led by Chairperson, Ms Lyra A. George, (top left) resigned as of September 18, 2019. Photo: Facebook
The resignation letter by the Virgin Gorda Easter Festival Sub-Committee was addressed to the Minister responsible for Education and Culture, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley. Photo: Team of Reporters
The resignation letter by the Virgin Gorda Easter Festival Sub-Committee was addressed to the Minister responsible for Education and Culture, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley. Photo: Team of Reporters
The Virgin Gorda Easter Festival Sub-Committee is responsible for organising and executing the yearly Virgin Gorda Easter Festival. Photo: VINO/File
The Virgin Gorda Easter Festival Sub-Committee is responsible for organising and executing the yearly Virgin Gorda Easter Festival. Photo: VINO/File
Chairman of the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee (VIF&FC), Mr Carnel D. Clyne confirm the resignation of the Virgin Gorda Easter Festival Sub-Committee but declined to comment further. Photo: VINO/File
Chairman of the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee (VIF&FC), Mr Carnel D. Clyne confirm the resignation of the Virgin Gorda Easter Festival Sub-Committee but declined to comment further. Photo: VINO/File
VALLEY, Virgin Gorda VI- In a surprise move, all members of the Virgin Gorda Easter Festival Sub Committee, led my Ms Lyra A. George, resigned as of September 18, 2019.

In a social media post late yesterday afternoon, September 23, 2019, the now former members stated, "The Virgin Gorda Easter Festival Sub-Committee have formally tendered our resignation with immediate effect. We would like to thank all those who have supported us during the past two years and we would like to urge that our Easter Festival stay alive in our community.”

Chairperson, Lyra A. George; Treasurer, Cleopatra Brewley-Besson; Entertainment Coordinators, Mark Noel and Gary Hillhouse; Public Relations Officer, Trevor Bridgewater Jr; and Secretary, Coretta Redhead all affixed their signature to a resignation letter sent to the Minister responsible for culture, Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) and copied to Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration and Ninth District Representative Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley, Chairman of the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee Carnel D. Clyne, and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture and Culture, Carolyn E. Stoutt-Igwe.

‘Disappointing’

Both Dr Wheatley and Mr Clyne acknowledged receiving the resignation and while the Minister said he thanked them for their service offered, Mr Clyne declined to comment.

The move by the committee did not come as a surprise to many as, according to at least three members of the community, the resignation followed lots of negativity meted out to them by the VIF&FC as stated in the resignation letter, which also alluded to financial delays and setbacks.

When contacted for a response to the allegations, Dr Wheatley said the resignation letter did not highlight specifics, "And I cannot respond to it because I have no clue what is being referred to.”

It was a respected senior member of Virgin Gorda, Grace Walter-Flax, who expressed distaste at the exodus of the sub-committee. “How could you all do this? As TRUE sons and daughters, it is your prerogative to do what you wish but don’t resign totally. At least remain as regular members and assist the new board to thrive. This is very disappointing news to say the least."

18 Responses to “VG Easter Festival Sub-Committee resigns”

  • harassment (24/09/2019, 09:40) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    More in the mortar than the pestle
  • David (24/09/2019, 09:44) Like (22) Dislike (1) Reply
    East End long look festival committee should walk in the Virgin Gorda festival part and tender their resignation
    • VG Personal (24/09/2019, 17:31) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
      Am sure that committee can speak for itself. It don’t need a spoke person or a dictator. No one is been paid to be in the committee so who want to leave can do so.
    • lol (24/09/2019, 19:16) Like (1) Dislike (4) Reply
      Them less
      • VG (26/09/2019, 13:17) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        @lol: You would say that since you and others like you who wasn’t chosen to be on the committee to steal the money..Lol
    • Agree (26/09/2019, 10:32) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      David I 150% agree with you. the same people on the EE/LL committee for years. nothing nothing insanity.
  • the rock (24/09/2019, 11:52) Like (15) Dislike (3) Reply
    Mrs grace waters stop makig a big.deal out of nothing mr cline seems to be a bully let him put his cronies inn.
    • Jacperlance (24/09/2019, 15:23) Like (10) Dislike (8) Reply
      @ the rock, is that how you see it. Well I see it differently, these committees have been getting government money for too long and doing what they want with it without any proper accountability so now you have someone who is keen on checks and balances, how will they cope? The thing with this place on a whole, no one ever want to be corrected.
  • NezRez (24/09/2019, 12:11) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    Oh No! Something ongoing has happened for all of them to resign at one time. They should have given a time to resign and not leave the committee stranded without replacements, unless they already did and they weren't taken seriously.
  • black boy (24/09/2019, 13:44) Like (9) Dislike (1) Reply

    C88888 is not ready and not willing to learn. He thinks he knows everything.

    Replace C88888 with someone with a little experience and management skills.

    Dont look now but same thing about to happen in tortola

  • chad (24/09/2019, 14:23) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Correct name is Grace Flax- Waters
  • vg massive (24/09/2019, 15:26) Like (26) Dislike (1) Reply
    This was expected due to information that was shared. All these people are decent and respectful individuals. VG Festival have seen the most money made and accounted for under these people. They planed and executed well. Since the taking over of the big man, they experience nothing else but disrespect. There plans and ideas were trampled on. He began to act like a dictator to them. Bear in mind these people rescued the financial strapped committee here in Virgin Gorda. They made major changes here in Virgin Gorda to Easter Festival. They placed ii in a direction of success. Every year their their account and budget was presented in record time. You people wouldint believe on the opening night the big man brought a "Money Gang" from Tortola to take all the money without counting it in the presence of the VG chairman or her committee members. She has no idea of what was made at the gate that evening. None of them don't have a clue if their artist benefit them or they lost. How could you continue to perform your duties under this kind of dictorial leadership. They are all professional people that were extremely hurt to this behavior. They were treated like thieves. Don't forget this group made the most money and paid off all outstanding bills from the Last committee which owed the world. This committee took over with a debt of $50,000.00. They cleaned that debt up and to be treated in this way wasn't good. We are Virgin Gordians, we have our dignity. They were right to resign with their dignity and honesty intact. I dear anyone to contradict what I post.
  • Vg man (24/09/2019, 18:28) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    This is what I’ve been talking about for years.We the sister Islands always getting taken advantage of.This BS needs to stop!!!!!!!!!!
  • Factural (24/09/2019, 22:11) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Gosh. They are right to stand up for principles and standards. Long live the Virgin Gorda festival committee.
  • RAVEN (25/09/2019, 07:55) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    Knowing the Chairman, her and her committee would not have resigned without a good reason....she is a very committed individual.more in the mortar beside the pestle..why is the Min. In charge “mum”. He had a great Team-His Loss!..the days of VG people letting persons walk on them are long gone..as an island, “United We Stand”.
  • VG (25/09/2019, 09:31) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    The VIP repeating the same mistake as NDP. Turning people off by injecting politics into everything and I am ashamed of this. The Chairman of the FAFC is a joke. The BVI will remain the same thanks to NDP and the VIP.
  • Vg: Massive (25/09/2019, 14:41) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    VG Festival Committee has been facing a lot of serious problems of which Hon. Vincent Wheatley and Hon. Shereen Flax Charles would have to fix. Firstly VG didn't have any festival. They started from a picnic which grow larger into what it is today. The members would go out every year and raise fund to put on their "Easter Fun". Those people in Government who thought that VG was making too much money of which they had no control decided to place VG in the BVI Festival and Fairs Committee so they could control their money. For years the former Minister was paying the young man from the Carrot Bay Committee to come to VG to manage a stage. The VG Festival Committee objected because they said they shouldn't have to pay for this out of their money when they could have it done for free. They wanted to build their own stage to cut cost, however the Government of the day objected because they wanted to continue pay their Crony $75-80,000. just for the weekend. The last straw came when this rejected boy by his own people of Cane Garden Bay decided to take all of VG Festival Committee money and didn't have the audacity to count the money in their presence. Money From Government was the main problem, They sometime get money one to two weeks before their weekend activity. Why anything is too much for VG? We ran festival for years with money that were raised now you come and take our money to help pay for over runs in Tortola? How could this be ever right. Find the Committee that would help to rob VG money. God don't sleep.


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