Full house for village opening, Premier warns against criminal conduct during festivities
Scenes from Friday night’s opening of the festival village in Road Town. (Photos by Kamal Haynes/BVI News) Premier Andrew Fahie addresses patrons at Friday night’s opening of the 2019 festival village in Road Town. Virgin Islands/American duo Rock City entertains patrons inside the Road Town festival village in Road Town on Friday, July 26, 2019. Scenes from Friday night’s opening of the festival village in Road Town. (Photos by Kamal Haynes/BVI News)
As the events for this year’s emancipation festival get underway, Premier Andrew Fahie has urged residents and would-be offenders to steer clear of criminal behaviour.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Prime Time Festiville in Road Town on Friday, Premier Fahie said: “If you respect what our ancestors have gone through for our freedom, then this festival you will not get involved in any criminal activities, you would not get involved in anything illegal, you will not get involved in any fights, but instead you’ll use this time to unite.”
“You will use this time to build up each other because that is what festival is — a tribute to our ancestors and their blood is speaking saying: ‘children, respect what we have done because we have made a great place for you and we want you just to make it better’,” the Premier stated.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Marlon Penn said he believes residents have forgotten the things that brought the territory to its present stage of development.
He further said he believes an overall shift in public mentality is needed going forward.
“We need to get back to basics as a people, as a country and start working together as those slaves did in the early years to get us our of slavery and out of bondage into a progressive [society] … We have a long way to go in this territory but we have to do that collectively and working together as a people to move to get us to the next step of our country’s development,” Penn said.
Never forget the BVI’s culture
Culture Minister Dr Natalio Wheatley reiterated the importance of safeguarding the history of the BVI and urged residents not to disregard the true purpose of emancipation festivities.
“It can’t be all about who’s coming to sing, it can’t all be about which artiste is singing, it can’t all be about having a good time, it has to be about preserving our culture, it has to be about preserving our history and our heritage. It has to be celebrating from which we came, it has to be about remembering the struggles and the sacrifices of our ancestors,” the minister said.
He also acknowledged the efforts of those involved in organising the historic occasion and assured the public that while it will be a good festival, he and his team will be working to improve it as they advance.
“Show gratitude to the Chairman of the Festival & Fairs Committee, all the sub-committees, the executive committee — everybody who’s working hard to make this thing happen … These persons are volunteering and I have a spirit of gratitude for their sacrifices.”
Honourees
Meanwhile, the Prime Time Band along with Parade Marshalls Yvonne Mactavious and Leon ‘Kazak’ Jeffers all received plaques of recognition for their long-time contribution to emancipation festivities and the cultural development of the BVI over the years.
Performances
The opening night saw hundreds of persons being fully entertained by a number of acts including DJ Carly Cartel, the BVI Heritage Dancers, Razor Blades, Xtreme Band — who performed a Prime Time tribute — OMG and Rock City who ‘rocked’ the crowd with popular hit songs until the closing.
The Road Town Festival Village will remain open until August 6, 2019.
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Everyone have fun, enjoy and be safe.
Let us all have nice clean festival and try not to get into and trouble.
This the kind of crowd you will get once our freedom is celebrated FREE because we are FREE…..$40.00 IS RIDICULOUS
Paid $40 last night and there was a bigger crowd for Popcaan.
The premier is correct to keep the focus on the meaning of festival and emancipation from slavery. However, how does he justify the current enslavement of our people through a national health insurance system. A system that forces us to give over money that we have earned . To pay for other people’s health care. This system steals our freedom by limiting our own individual ability to care for our familyies. It limits the doctor’s freedom to care for people. This is modern day back door slavery.
Since emancipation you have slowly declined as a society. You have become lazy, complacent, uneducated and bring people from other islands to do your work. You complain at every turn yet you make no move to take care of yourselves. You don’t farm, fish, build or anything to make the Territory better. You work in government jobs living off of income the Territory was getting from the financial sector and travel industry. That is disappearing. What do you intend to do? Your demise as a people and a Territory is on the verge of extinction. The Brits are watching and doing nothing. Why? Because given enough rope you will all hang yourselves. No need for slave Masters.
I worry about this generation and the next to follow. My 89 year old grandfather said this is a generation lost.
So you are ok with having the government set the price of health care. Then strip you of your money. To pay for other people’s health care? Who is stupid?
When you or your family member become seriously ill and need to claim from NHI, you will be very glad that this system is in place and that you will receive the care you need, rather than be turned away because you can’t afford to pay.
STRUPE THINKING
did you really just compare health insurance to the enslavement and mistreatment of generations of your ancestors? SMH NO WONDER BVI DYING WITH YOU LOT ACTING RIDICULOUS AND MAKING UNINFORMED COMMENTS. YOU ARE EMBARRASSING YOURSELF BRUCE
So if the government legislated that we all have to pay to feed everyone’s families. Will you be ok with that? They are already limiting how many doctor visits. You are embarrassing yourself with your sheep mentality.
You mean like social welfare which they have in most civilised countries? The only one embarrassing themselves are you.
Good examples of what you are referring to are Venezuela, North Korea and China. Have at it.
Scuse me I forgot the UK where they take sick babies from parents and allow them to die. I can name 2 of these cases. And, in both of these cases countries, the US and Italy, offered help. But UK officials essentially murdered the babies. By not allowing help. Real civilized!
@ Bruce
Who suppose to pay for those of us who don’t have insurance?
You need to re-check what you are saying. For the first time, the other estimated 80% of the population now has health insurance and now can pay towards it instead of government subsidizing it.
Please BRUCE, be objective
Taxpayers are subsidizing health insurance for everyone. And government officials have another source to steal from for themselves.
You must be Donald Trump
Go and sit down
Make the BVI great again!!! Bring the Brits!! Bring Johnson!!! Bring Trump!!!
You trust government to run your life?
Mr premier has to also remind you illiterate people , that you all go to other island for carnival
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Look at the difference between last night and thursday night…the devil got a lot of followers…all kind of vulgar and lodge booths
Congrats to the two Parade Marshalls chosen for this year..Yvonne Mactavous and Leon ‘Kazak’Jeffers. Well deserved recognition for both of you. Thanks for your continued contributions.????????????????????????????????????????????????
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