Opposition Member, Hon Marlon A. Penn has accused the Premier, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) of illegally transferring the management of festivals and events in the Virgin Islands (VI) when according to the law, it should be managed by the VI F&FC. Photo: Facebook

The Virgin Islands Festivals and Fairs Committee Act does provide for the establishment and constitution of a committee to manage national festivals and fairs within the Territory and according to Hon Penn, the VI must therefore do things legally and people must be held accountable as the act of circumventing laws sets a bad precedent. Photo: VINO/File

Premier and Minister responsible for the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) said the transfer of management of the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee to the BVI Tourist Board is another step of integrating our culture into the tourism product with the transfer of responsibilities for organising ‘our national festivals to the BVI Tourist Board’. Photo: GIS/File

Mr Penn was at the time speaking during the February 22, 2024, edition of ‘Da Moring Braff” hosted by Floyd P. Burnett on Tala Radio 100.5 FM, “We continue to circumvent the system to do the things that we feel that we want to do and not do and not do the things are in the best interest of the people that is my.” 

He added, “It’s a trend that seemed to be continuing with this latest saga, particularly with the Festivals and Fairs Committee where we're not respecting the law, not respecting the fact that the Festival and Fairs Committee is a legal entity for executing festival.” 

He said, however, the Government is circumventing the laws to transfer the management of Festivals to the tourist board which has created a legal quantum conundrum for the people of the territory.

VIF&FC legal entity for festivals - Hon Penn

“The law is very clear, the entity that's responsible for managing festival is the Virgin Islands Festivals and Fairs Committee… I don't know what [is] the reason they've done it… when the law says that something should be done a certain way, the Cabinet does not have the authority to change that, the only way that could be changed is in the House of Assembly and nothing has gone to the House of Assembly to make those adjustments or changes,” Hon Penn said. 

The Virgin Islands Festivals and Fairs Committee Act does provide for the establishment and constitution of a committee to manage national festivals and fairs within the Territory and according to Hon Penn, the VI must therefore do things legally and people must be held accountable as the act of circumventing laws sets a bad precedent.

“When are we going to stop? Now we are here at the Festival & Fairs Committee, is it going to BVIEC tomorrow? Is it going to be TRC tomorrow if some minister said I don’t like how this is functioning, I just want to get rid of it?” Hon Penn added.

The Cabinet of the Virgin Islands had approved the transfer of the functions VIF&FC to the BVI Tourist Board aimed at further incorporating elements of the Virgin Islands culture and heritage, into the tourism product towards promoting experiential tourism opportunities.

The Premier who is also responsible for the Ministry of Tourism and Culture said “We have taken another step of integrating our culture into our tourism product with the transfer of responsibilities for organizing our national festivals to the BVI Tourist Board.”