Branching out? F&FC considering new ideas for future festivals
Chairman of the Virgin Islands Festivals and Fairs Committee, Dirk Walters has agreed with the sentiments reflected by Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley about hosting one central festival village in Road Town and then doing various cultural activities across Tortola for Emancipation celebrations going forward.
In an interview with JTV News, Walters said the committee has considered different options but the general consensus, for now, is that going forward, the festival village should be centralised in Road Town.
“They’re going to be varying opinions and I’m not sure exactly how long I’m going to be in this capacity or even on the committee so you never know what can transpire. I can only speak for now, for myself. So that’s my general feeling,” Walters said.
“I tend to agree with the Honourable Premier with that. That’s the way we should go forward, at least at this time for now, and we’ll see how it goes from there because you know, its fluid. It’s ever-changing. So, if we get to a point again, where we can revisit some things, of course, it’s never anything where ‘Oh, it’s set in stone and that can never be changed again’. You know, we weigh our options, the pros and cons and see if it’s feasible at any given time because you never know what can happen,” the chairman added.
Walters said the committee always tries to keep the community involved and is always asking and open to any feedback provided. He added there are various meetings with the different subcommittees and members of the public.
“We look at the different things, we will report on it and then we get the public feedback. And we do pay attention to everything with our policies, go on the blogs, people leave the comments. They would meet us on the street and I’m very approachable. I’m on the road, every day all over the place. I don’t hide from people. So, people meet me every single day. I say, well, you know, I like what you did with this. I like your approach, but you know, they give you constructive criticism,” Walters said.
“I take notes and I record it. And I take it to the executive committee and say, listen, we could look at doing this. So, we’re always open to different ideas and scenarios to see what we can do. We can’t make everyone 100% happy all the time. I don’t think we ever will. And I don’t think I’ll ever try. For the most part, we’re open to ideas and always ready to do things in a more feasible manner that will benefit the community and everyone,” he added.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
I have been saying this for years. Finally someone with some common sense
The committee should really reconsider not competing with booths by charging these ridiculous admission fees to the village. Please seriously consider a year long community engagement approach which will greatly reduce these $30 & $40 fees per night fees. This way, more persons will be able to attend.
I agree. The nightly fees were a turn off because of the high price. If you were getting at least a drink or something but for those few artistes….it’s not worth it.
The $40.00 night was ridiculous, the artist was garbage and didn’t worth the money at the gate, but I guess I can understand why the night was garbage, tell me why there’s only one person doing the entertainment segment in the festival committee, that’s the first I’ve even seen that kind of nonsense, I thought committees are always more than one person. Mr. Chairman’s that need to be fixed let your entertainment person know it not his festival it’s the peoples festival please, and what he chooses needs more input.
I know it was not perfect but the approach taken by this committee is certainly a step in the right direction from the waste and theft that usually characterizes festival.
I’d like to encourage them to keep at it and take the criticisms into consideration with the view to make it better next time. Rome was not built in a day and with the new approach based on accountability you are certainly moving in the right direction.
Now if only we can get the rest of govt to be accountable we’ll be off to a good start. Good job guys!
Sick of seeing these three.
Ok the festival is ok we have an whole year to raise funds for the next festival as far as i see, the festival committee need to get up off there ass and go back to the old days an have fish fried, car raffles, cake sales, car wash etc rasie your own funds so you don’t have to depend on the government fund,that $30 & $40 for an night in the village is bullshit, you an add on $30 more dollas an that’s how much for an night at st.kitts music fest with far better artistes for one night wow
If you know you broke, stay home….