Former chairman of the Virgin Gorda Easter Festival Committee Mr Rupert S. Vanterpool Jr refutes claims that his committee is responsible for incomplete BVIF&FC 2013 report. Photo: VINO/File

VG report 2013

Chairman of the BVI Festival and fairs committee Mr Marvin Blyden has confirmed that the 2013 report is not yet complete but will be before the end of Festivals 2014. Photo: VINO

Minister for Education and Culture Honourable Myron V. Walwyn said that plans are in train for festivals committee volunteers to be honoured. Photo: VINO

The press conference held on April 1, 2014. Photo: VINO

“I am so upset at what Mr Blyden said; Mr Blyden is lying, he needs to tell the truth!” said an obviously disturbed Mr Vanterpool Jr who resigned the position as Chairman of the committee on February 2014.

At a press conference on April 1, 2014, Chairman of the BVI Festivals and Fairs Committee Mr Marvin ‘MB’ Blyden threw the blame for the incomplete Festivals and Fairs Committee Report for 2013 at the feet of the Virgin Gorda Easter Festival Committee when he told reporters that the resignation of one officer was affecting bank issues relevant for the completion of the report.

Mr Vanterpool said that he found it very surprising at Mr Blyden’s excuse as the VGEFC’s report was submitted in April 2013. He also said the records would prove that the VG committee was one of the few which had submitted reports on time.

“I resigned the end of February, this report that he (Mr Blyden) is talking about was for festivals way [back] in 2013. How suddenly changing signatures in March 2014 [can] be blamed?” pondered Mr Vanterpool.

He said to the best of his knowledge the issue of transfer of names with the bank following his resignation was resolved in two weeks following his resignation.

Following the report published earlier today Mr Vanterpool Jr said that he attempted to set the record straight with the relevant authority but failed.

“I contacted the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee to make this correction, but unfortunately they refused to admit to this report being summited and filed since April 25, 2013 with the Department of Culture,” said Mr Vanterpool Jr in a correspondent to this news site.

See below for link to report:

http://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/upload/documents/2013_Virgin_Gorda_Easter_Festival_Report_01.pdf

See previous story posted April 7, 2014:

No 2013 Festivals report one year after – Media told

VALLEY, Virgin Gorda, VI – Reporters and others present at the recent launching of the Virgin Gorda Easter Festival were told that the report for the BVI Festivals and Fairs Committee’s Festival of 2013 is still not complete.

This was revealed by Chairman of the BVI Festival and fairs committee Mr Marvin ‘MB’ Blyden at a press conference held on April 1, 2014. When the question about the status of the report was put to Mr Blyden he responded, “The report from last year festival unfortunately we are still working on [it]. We are still a little late but we assure you it will be done.”

Mr Blyden made clear that the only outstanding component of the BVIF&FC report is that of Virgin Gorda Easter Festivals.

The BVIF&FC Chairman said that they are being faced with ‘a few hiccups’. “We are working on it, that’s all I can say, but definitely you will get it,” he said. He was confident that the 2013 report would be complete before the ending of the 2014 Festivals celebrations.

He noted that there were some challenges in dealing with the bank that require the release of certain information for the report to be complete. “When you take over from somebody you can’t just walk into the bank and get documents just like that and that was one of our biggest set-back because moving from one person’s name to another takes a lot of time.”

“The banks now are not like years ago, so those are some of the things that we are faced with and as soon as we get that over we will work on it,” Mr Blyden added.

He made clear that the challenges resulting in the non-completion of the report are not a result of lack of accountability. “No! Because looking at some of the reports from some of the sub-committees everything seems to be intact, it just has to be put together with the final stage.”

The BVIF&FC has sat and ventilated the challenges of 2013 and according to Mr Blyden they do not foresee being faced with those challenges this year.

Mr Blyden has been heading the committee for the third year in succession and said that he has confidence in his committee who he deemed very hard working. He also said that he feels that they are on the right track with the current committee that has been tasked with the organizing of the Virgin Gorda Easter Festival.  “...and I think we could look forward for a very good festival this year,” he had told reporters.

Asked about rewarding the free services of volunteers who have been giving and continue to give of their free time and expertise towards the success of the festivals over the years Minister for Education and Culture Honourable Myron V. Walwyn said that plans are in train for those persons to be honoured. “Yes it is already in the plan,” he said.