Cline protests government spending on Music Fest site
Prominent clergyman John Cline staged a one-man protest yesterday, expressing outrage over the government’s spending on preparations for the upcoming BVI Music Fest.
Cline argued that thousands of dollars are being wasted daily on site preparation while the territory’s infrastructure remains in shambles.
In a video widely shared on social media, Cline could be seen visiting the construction site behind the Ralph T O’Neal Administration Complex, where workers are readying the grounds for the event. He objected to the spending for site preparation, estimated at over $5,000 per day, while critical infrastructure repairs remain undone across the territory.
“You can’t fix the road, Joe’s Hill. You can’t fix the road, Sea Cows Bay. You can’t fix the road any place,” Cline said. “And we must sit down quietly like a bunch of idiots, allowing them to spend our money?”
He also criticised the government’s $670,000 allocation to the festival, contrasting it with the state of the territory’s crumbling infrastructure.
The BVI Music Fest has been a point of contention within the territory. Lawmakers have voiced concerns over the substantial cost of the event, especially given the pressing need for improvements to healthcare, education, and road networks. The current administration has defended the festival, arguing that it will boost tourism and stimulate the economy.
Cline, a regular government critic, called the Premier “incompetent” and accused him of mismanaging public funds. “Let’s call it what it is. He has no plan to raise revenue in this country. None, zero. All he does is spend money, continually spend money,” he argued.
He also pointed to the recent withdrawal of five Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) ships from the BVI, contending that poor customer experiences were behind NCL’s withdrawal.
“They sell satisfaction to their customer… when they land on these shores, they will have a satisfiable experience,” Cline said. “When they leave the cruise ship and go over these hills, and the bush is brushing them…”
“We cannot continue to allow this malpractice of government to go on,” Cline declared. He urged the public to voice their concerns to their representatives and hold the government accountable.
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This man is a h———e plain and simple. He is accusing the Premier of being incompetent and he was the Chairman of the BVI HSA for years and if he wants to see incompetence then look in the mirror and the state of the hospital under his chairmanship….that should end the argument!!
This man is a c——k you think we forget when he was chair of the hospital board set of c—–t people who need to be called out
is coming out the woodworks making a whole set of noise about everything ,EXCEPT about the guns , drugs and the cold blooded execution style murders that has become the norm here , isn’t that strange ,? especially those fake pastors , which GOD do they worship
The little man has spoken and I totally agree this time
While I support Cline this time, these are the same people who have caused a lot of da—-e to this country as well with their sel—-h, power h—–y, self ce—–d ways. Between him and his nephews (CSC, Mitch, and the doctor) they have created more pr——s than they have solved for this country. I live to see the day when the BVI reject these people. They are no g—d. Sorry.
Why do you keep calling it the BVI Music Fest? The premier done change the name just to cut out Skelton.
at 56 years of age it is impossible for me to communicate with valencia college in orlando florida and seminole state college in sanford florida to apply for graduation to obtain my associate degree. at 56 years of age it is impossible for me to communicate with state university of new york at farmingdale state college to obtain a bachelor degree in nursing.
The public schools infrastructure are also deplorable.
Mehson cart your mudda with you BS. Small man have to eat. Move from here before I knock you rass out talking shite! LOL
This is so wrong on every level. As a taxpayer, I am just disgusted and fed up. Why do we have to suffer in this manner.
C’mon Bishop. Speak truth to folly power by the grace of God!!
Party and jamming is my government priority, all else is last on the agenda.
Not usually a fan of this man but this time he’s making a very valid point. Our infrastructure is crumbling or non-existant, we have a perfectly serviceable festival ground yet we’re spending $1,000’s that we don’t have on this vanity project of our clueless premier
the government is an expert at wasting our money
We are a people that are backwards in discerning our priorities, in managing our primary issues, monetary, intellectual and people resources.
We are backwards in infrastructure development, educational upgrade and expansion, cultural upgrades, support and expansion.
We are backwards in economic development and backwards in technology development. Which is one reason we are and will always be a fickle victim to the cruise line industry and others like it.
We are backwards in taking care of our own people with caring for their financial upkeep ((ie) decent salaries, social security stability and affordability for our seniors) paying what is due to those who have already worked for their monies and are now retired and many more.
We are woefully backwards in our empathy for that segment of the populace.
We are truly backwards where we find uur elected officials enriching their pockets with impunity (so it is claimed and yes, thought) at the expense of the masses. We are backwards in all our existential respects.
We are one hundred and fifty years and next to last behind the developing countries which hold a GDP larger than half a billion dollars.
We are backwards in our current political maturation, backwards in daily existential thinking of us, backwards in our social, rational, analytical, intelligence and psychological reasoning.
Thought all true, let us continue to forge forward with hope and growth.
Myself and a few people has already decide to boycott the Premier’s music fest by not showing up. Laughing, it would be funny if while they are partying a S..t pipe burst sending raw sewage in the air spraying everyone including the Premier. Granny said, when you are in for more expect less.
Wouldn’t that be something. They parting and a pipe blow from underground sending raw sewage in every direction splashing on everyone. LMAO. I am also hoping a good soaking rain set in forcing the poppy show mess to be canceled. #BOYCUT THE MESS.
WE ALREADY HAVE THE FESTIVAL GROUNDS WITH ALL THE AMENITIES READY TO GO, SO WHY WASTE MONEY PREPARING ANOTHER SITE? TAKE THAT MONEY AND REPAIR THE HORSE TRACK!
We are not thinking clearly, there is still no vision.
Why not have it at the pier park where it is already in place and will have good security? Waste of our money!!!!! I hope many will boycott it in protest. This is outrageous. But not surprising…
I am going to boycott the music fest and here’s why, I am not going to be swindled twice. As a taxpayer, my money was used/taken to pay for the music fest then you want to turn around and charge me to enter the venue. Tell me how is that fair/right Mr. Premier? Can you please explain? I WILL NOT, REPEAT I WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANYTHING THAT IS NOT BENEFICIAL TO THE PEOPLE AND THE TERRITORY. I don’t appreciate nor will I allow any one to swindle me. Let’s just say I am not one of the stupid ignorant ones that is living on the Island.
This man is right
Because it’s not in his favor or benefit
What I would like to know, is, if that fest was held in Cane Garden Bay, the neighborhood from which he is from, and sponsored with tax paying monies, would he have commented similarly?
It may, to me, seems to be, a “fox not quite benefitting from the spoils of the grapes”, in his ‘hood’!
Bishop tell the people about the money you get from the hospital Covid grant and how much you was paid for the 2.5 yrs rent at save the seed for housing house of assembly why you didn’t allow them to use it for free and tell the government to used it to repair or infrastructure and administration complex talk about those things
?
We the people have more power than the Premier and everyone else sitting in Government. We the people can strip him and everyone sitting in Government of the power that we give them. We the people hired them, we are their employer and they are our employees, we pay their salaries. If you hire someone a d they F up, you terminate their employment. What’s good for the goose is damn sure good enough for the gander.Time to stop the stupid game people, time to go hard on this Government, shake their A..es up. Y’all know what to do if you want change for the better. If it’s about the TALK TALK and no action then shut the F up and deal with it.
Pier Park was the appropriate, ready to go location. Avoid all the present preparation cost.To be fair I was told Govt push that idea but Pier Park management wasn’t interested, beg the question. Who is the real Boss, they dis the minister, Maybe its time for new management at Pier Park. To me this even would have being good for Pier Park clients to help make up some of the lost in sales from the cancelled cruise ships.