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Premier Wheatley urges a return to fundraising for community events

- said he would like to see that 'community spirit' fostered
Virgin Islands Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) has called on community members in the VI to return to fundraising for their events in the community spirit as it pertains to local events. Photo: Facebook/File
Mr Rupert Vanderpool Sr, the 2024 honouree for the Virgin Gorda Easter Festival, gives remarks at the Opening Ceremony on Saturday, March. 30, 2024. Photo: Facebook/File
Mr Rupert Vanderpool Sr, the 2024 honouree for the Virgin Gorda Easter Festival, gives remarks at the Opening Ceremony on Saturday, March. 30, 2024. Photo: Facebook/File
VALLEY, Virgin Gorda, VI– Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) has called on community members to return to fundraising for their events in the community spirit that once prevailed.

The Premier made the statement while paying tribute to Mr Rupert Vanterpool Sr aka 'Buck', the 2024 honouree for the Virgin Gorda Easter Festival.

“Of course, stalwarts such as himself are a big part of the reason why we have our Virgin Gorda Easter Festival. I had the opportunity to speak to him for a few minutes before the ceremony and I learned that, in fact, he started the food fair for the VG Easter Festival...” Dr Wheatley said at the Opening Ceremony of the Virgin Gorda Easter Festival at Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour on Saturday, March 30, 2024.

No money from Gov't 

Premier Wheatley added, “And of course he reminded me, and it was a very important lesson, that back in those times before they never used to get money from the government, they used to raise everything on their own.”

He said community members would go out and they would do a fish fry or some fundraiser and it was a real community. “I want to see if we can get back to that community spirit,” he said.

The Premier added that some persons now think the festival is all about money, "or some persons think it's all about the artists which are performing, but the Virgin Gorda Easter Festival, more than anything else, has to be about the Virgin Gorda people, and community and love and togetherness.”

Dr Wheatley shared that when he visits Virgin Gorda, he feels a unity and togetherness like no other, “and we have to make sure that we keep that same spirit in our festival,” he said while saluting persons who have been a part of the Virgin Gorda Easter Festival for the past 57 years.

17 Responses to “Premier Wheatley urges a return to fundraising for community events”

  • HEZA (02/04/2024, 11:22) Like (15) Dislike (3) Reply
    BIG WASTE AH TIME
    • the rock (02/04/2024, 14:36) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
      I think VG festival need a serious look into, Easter needs to be left alone; properly should be moved down to May. For the last time festival committees, stop bringing in these expensive artists that you have ro be so exoens8ve at tge gate, let a private promoter brimg them inn and host them at a private venue. Let who csn afford them go to see them.
  • Just Asking ? (02/04/2024, 12:48) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    Father of the Nation? Lord help us !
  • jack@$$ (02/04/2024, 12:54) Like (10) Dislike (1) Reply
    We don't have disposable funds anymore. We are the end point that's being bled dry to fund everything else that's already inflated.
  • just asking (02/04/2024, 13:13) Like (15) Dislike (2) Reply
    How about he resorts to fundraising for his foreign trips.
  • Hmmmm (02/04/2024, 13:17) Like (9) Dislike (2) Reply
    After he done blow a milli out the tax money. Wwwellsah
  • Hey! (02/04/2024, 13:22) Like (1) Dislike (3) Reply
    NOOOOOO! And do what with the tax money?
    After paying so much monthly I can't even get a community even without paying extra? Do better Please.
  • GateKeeper (02/04/2024, 13:34) Like (15) Dislike (2) Reply
    Community-minded fundraising activity (s) is commendable. However , government has the responsibility to delver public goods and services , especially nonexcludable services, ie, roads, ports, schools, water, sewage, drainage, land use and planning, environmental preservation and protection,,etc. As such, government in delivering services must prioritize and effectively manage its limited resources to deliver the best/most services, to the most residents, at the least cost. Do concerts enhance residents quality of life and standard of living, etc? And if so should they take priority over other more urgent and important issues? Are concerts a misplaced priority?
    • @GateKeeper (02/04/2024, 21:12) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      To GateKeeper, you only tangentially touch funding of cultural festivals. Well, how do you suggest be fund these festivals, ie, public sector or private sector? And if with taxpayer dollars , how Many? What internal management control, and accountability measures should be put in place. You mention non-excludable services , ie, non payers cannot be excluded from using the services; whereas, users have to pay for excludable services, ie, concerts, etc. If there is a demand for concerts, why can’t the private put on the service?
  • smh (02/04/2024, 13:36) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Then the Festival Committee needs to out there hosting fundraising events, thus making entrance fees for Village nul and voided except for International and Reggae Nights.
  • WEW (02/04/2024, 14:10) Like (7) Dislike (3) Reply
    Your “fundraising “ consists of our tax dollars for your parties.
  • way (02/04/2024, 18:12) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Thats the way we should do it. Every penny count every week do a fund raiser even if its selling water
  • Donkey show (02/04/2024, 23:18) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Want us to scrape up money, when government spend over 200k on non-stop concert that was no benefit to the bvi smh. At least it was beneficial to higher ups and someone else got a cut out of it
  • rattie (03/04/2024, 05:06) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    Good endeavours and advice premier
  • Nic (03/04/2024, 11:33) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Please do a fundraiser for the hospital where there's no ac instead, persons are literally fainting there because of the heat. Focus on that!
  • Curious (03/04/2024, 22:01) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    I agree Gatekeeper. What ever happened to BVI Resilient Fund?
  • ... (05/04/2024, 15:20) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I seen ship and planes bill around the world with that kind of money everything they do here them value it over a million I just hope some of those people could Dead in office they are involved in drugs and still rubbing the Government


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