Julian Willock calls for local artistes to be treated fairly
Mr Willock was at the time being interviewed by Entertainment news site Krazyhype.com host Ramoamasgana ‘Masa’ Pemberton.
Treat our people fair
When asked by the host in the 30 minute interview about the controversy over the local artistes not being treated fairly by the Government and having to wait almost a year to be paid after being promised by the Minister for Education and Culture Hon Myron V. Walwyn to be paid last year, Mr Willock gave some candid advice to the local performers.
Firstly, Mr Willock called for a level playing field in that both local and foreign artistes must be treated the same. The former senior civil servant said that “local artistes have all performed well and they are professionals and must demand a contract with 50% deposit up front and when they finish their performance they need to receive all of their money.”
He also told Krazyhype.com in the video interview that has blown up on social network that “there must be a balance...the same treatment that the outside artistes are getting that is the same treatment should be given to your own…”
Wawlyn’s broken promise
Last year controversy erupted when most of the local artistes who performed for the 2015 Festival were not paid while regional and international performers received all their monies.
Many of the local artistes spoke out against this type of discrimination and blasted the Minister for Education and Culture Hon Walwyn. He responded in promising that by December 2015 all artistes would be paid, however, it was another broken promise. Most of them got paid this year with some of them reporting to have had challenges with cashing their cheques, however, the matter was later rectified.
During the issue of non-payment of local artistes this year, a cheque for $35,045.59 surfaced which showed that the Virgin Islands Festival & Fairs Committee paid that amount to MVW International, a company owned by the controversial Minister for Education and Culture Walwyn.
It is unclear what the payment was for as the Minister has refused to respond to questions on this matter.
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