$670K to be spent on music fest
While dismissing concerns about wasted funds, Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley said the upcoming Music Fest will cost an estimated $670,000.
Premier Wheatley told reporters at a recent press conference that the event may either break even or turn a profit based on ticket sales alone.
“There’s a question of whether these music festivals are a waste of money. Now, actually quite the opposite,” he said. “These music festivals generate money, not just for the Tourist Board, not just for the government, but for the entire economy.”
He argued that such festivals generate many resources, including income for clothing stores, beauty salons, barber shops, taxis, and car rental businesses.
“The concept that this money should be spent on other things is something that I hear quite a lot,” Premier Wheatley said. “But what persons should recognise and understand is that if you want to put money into your infrastructure, if you want to put money into your healthcare institutions, all of that money is generated from your economy.”
The Premier also contended that there was a need for more investments in the economy to continue to provide for the social needs of the community.
In the meantime, Premier Wheatley accused his critics in the opposition of hypocrisy, arguing that they also supported music festivals in the past, giving plenty of money when they were in government between 2011 and 2019.
“They saw the benefit of music festivals when they were in government but yet, you know, they don’t see the benefit of it now,” he argued.
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It’s time for a change, the UK need to step in we are on a downhill course without any brakes or any help in sight. There are so many things in the BVI need fixing and we are spending a three quarts of a million on shows Natalio Wheatley is doing what he wants and getting away with is someone has to put a stop to this.
I agree with you, but it clear the UK leaving us to hang ourselves and will not do anything even. Our party premier has proven his incompetence over and over and they just sitting there going to the beach and enjoying the sun. Look like we doomed
DELUSIONAL!!!!!
How in the world this fellow got the Premier position always wasting money on STUPIDNESS!!
Money going where he say? Tourist Board can’t even pay their staff increments but busy hiring a set of staff for their Events Dept and splurging on one Music Fest to the next.
A straight jacket may be necessary to put a stop to this reckless spending.
The VIP Congress chose him over more capable people because he can speak, but donkey has more sense. What a catastrophe!
Why one earth should I pay for this self indulgent crap?
This makes me so angry.
“May break even or turn a profit.”
Will probably make a loss. But nobody will ever know.
If it costs $670,000 to stage the party, it would take 5,000 people each paying $ 335 to turn a profit. Where would all these people be coming from and where would they be staying?
And, if the total budget is $ 670K, isn’t the public entitled to a breakdown of the costs?
AND YET NO MONEY FOR OUR ROADS WHICH ARE A WREAK. VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE IN THIS GOVERNMENT IS NEEDED.
Lorna in our corner need to switch. Drop her pride and do the right thing for our Territory. She knows we are in trouble. Come on Lorna.
Rome fell because emperors focused only on feeding and entertaining their citizens. This happens in the BVI too. Voters are fed by getting Government jobs where they do nothing and lots of money is spent on entertainments and not long-term investments into the economy.
Premier Wheatley’s argument about money passing through hairdressers is ridiculous and shows his utter lack of understanding of basic economics. Monet spent on infrastructure (if spent properly with good construction) multiplies many times over through the economy and provides the foundation for years of future growth and prosperity.
The Latin is “panem et circenses”
Full quote
Already long ago, from when we sold our vote to no man, the People have abdicated our duties; for the People who once upon a time handed out military command, high civil office, legions — everything, now restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things: bread and circuses.
People talking about infrasture does it make sense if water and sewage going tobe digging up the roads every second then we wasting money the same.
Doesn’t It make sense to fix what is mashing up the roads before we don’t have any roads left to drive on? Oh just leave what’s mashing up the road so that eventually all the roads would be mashed up to fix them then. Brilliant! Money well spent
Where ae you going to house these tourists who are going to come? Most people who comes are from the USVI and they have family members to stay with.
Please check with Frank Mahoney so he can tell you how he did music fest those days.Nothing is wrong with music fest but you have to get the best entertainers, which tourist is coming to see Alkaline?
Now Mr.Sl**an will you invite guests into you home with a leaking roof,sewage in your front yard,pot holes in highways,disillusion in Govt.to be allow the world know we are on a down spiral.Take.care of your turf first get our country ready first foremost they invite
Basics! So the venue is the dirt pile back of the admin complex. Do you guys see what happens when it rains in the festival grounds? A mud pool! So enlighten me how this venue will be any different! Also, not much revenue as this lineup won’t bring masses from the USVI as they’ve been having good entertainment shows for awhile now. The Utopia cruise was recently.
All this money being spent on fun and entertainment while the roads have sink holes in them and the Government Central Administrative Complex (Building) is closed and still in a state of disrepair, not fixed since Hurricane Irma and millions are being spent elsewhere for rent.
This young man we have for a Leader is still a Child.
The people are complaining about not getting water look what the Premier is doing with the money, stop wasting the money please please help to fix these problems for the people who voted you in come on get the water fixed, water is very essential for every one come. Look at the roads in the district especially in the East. Mr. Premier please put the peoples money to a better use ah beg ohhhh.
Government need to go back in the Admin building and stop paying rent !
Blah blah! 90% of all blogging and complaining will be front and center thats why the Premier will always push things like this. These are the same antics that win elections!!!! Stop balling and get your outfits ready.
Govt spending nearly $2 mil on 2 music fest in the space of months. Why is everyone so silent on this. Festival which is another music fest is just a few months after. King Charles, we need help please from our partying and p… Premier.
Wow, wow wow. People pay meter rental and no water and we spend like this?
Been waiting donkey years for financial reports on prior music clustfests. Give should NOT be in the entertainment business.
Fill the damn potholes, get the water to work and fix the incinerator. The govt making Biden look good.
Another party! We desperately need a vote of no confidence! Is this how we are supposed to convince anyone even our children in primary school that The Virgin Islands is ready for self determination when we cannot spend tax payers money wisely to benefit all. Based on the report presented from the last party to celebrate an airline’s return without having to convince them to make that decision we all noted that there was really no meaningful return on investment. Why is this happening again?
Please also abandon the idea of extending the lanes at Government House. That does not make any sense. Is that going to be for parking or lay-by? I cannot see the purpose of driving into that lane and having difficulties merging back into a two lane. Think value for money please!!
The BVI is the only country where people are daily advocating through news media for the take over of a sovereign country. Nowhere in the world are people seeing individuals asking for another country to come and invade and take over another.
People who are using this and other news sites seems to have a working philosophy about the Black Virgin Islander, his government, his natural and political rights.
They are filled with hate and jealousy and those emotive are race fuelled.
They see the local Black man as underserving of having his own government, political system and a million dollar budget.
Their envy and jealousy wish to “put the Black Virgin Islander in his place.
They wish. to take every thing he has developed over decades and keep it. for themselves, leaving the local hopeless and penniless.
They are attempting to use the racist and inhumane practices of colonialism and imperialism to come, take over and claim what is not theirs.
However, they must realize that we are not living in tine 15th century.
Come in the wrong way and you will have revolution on your hands. Be careful what you wish for.
It seem as though natalio is blogging for damage control, but remember we blacks don’t govern with technology and science, but always impulsive superstition and theology, we are always behind trying to survive where these white financial institution have to loan is money from wrecking our economy, and he using the white neocolonial tactics, ignoring the people cry, which will create apathy and obedience, so they will be always accepting the decision of the leaders or elites, but miss Lorna can put he in a corner, she just need to resign and even convince someone to follow her, and a new mandate would be created where you feel the victory of your vote.
miss Lorna can put he in a corner
But we the BVI had the music fest market and also ole years mark for places to be in the BVI.
But we allow both market revenue to die and now after many years we want to try get back such.
Sorry but STT got that market right now
You see the line up they have noe for their festival.
They book the number 1 artist in the world rigjt now
This is blind leadership and squandering of tax dollar. Shameful.
Pier park is the best place for the music fest. It already fenced, easy security control, cut fencing cost.. You can recoup cost by parking charges..Inside parking per night $40.00 for 3 nights $100.00 they are like 40 – 45 parking inside,.. Then there is the outside fencing parking at $15.00 per night or $40.00 for 3 nights this space to me can hold about 90 to 100 cars without issues. Their parking control is very good..
Over half a million on music fest and people can’t get them increments what them done work for.
Some ah them politicians going straight hell
Bunch of Bull Crap! Yet can’t pay the Civil Servants their increments or provide a main Public Library in Road Town. Sorry but not really sorry to say, this Administration has it’s priority and purposes far wrong.
This is insanity! Most needed was to throw $150k to the event the CGB people already doing and support and promote their event. Even in the big years Music Fest never cost so much. Most it cost was a $300k. Why this Party Accidental Premier change the name and change the location when everybody know that what makes our event special is the fact that it was on a beach that has all the restaurants and bathrooms and bars and accommodations needed. To put it on an ugly dry hard field like every other place in the world is dumb! Nobody there to advise Slowande any better? The nonstop concert was a failure and here he gone again? The artists won’t even attract any tourists to come to the BVI except a few ppl from the ISVI. This is total foolishness what Premier, Clive, Dirk and Delma and Luce here doing!
Mr Minister. How much of it to be spent on Education and the training of the workforce?
Those Musicfest, festivals are just leading the young people in the wrong path.
On A leap Year- Nope! Bad decisions way to early in the year— I’m still waiting for the Althea Scatliffe school to be built.
BAND OF THIEVES LOL
Our master is a player and he is in charge ,like it or not , the dude is getting his groove on / well let’s see who the canary on the yello site is going to point his dirty finger at now (is it going to be Cindy / the governor or the UK ?
Just spend a few dolla and keep the natives dancing every now and den, them tax them and wok dem like slaves. Couple festivals here and there, them think this is the life, get to get drunk on rum and dry hump large bottom ladies. Yassuh, dis is de life.
Bring Nasio Fontaine