BVI News

Longstanding debt to festival vendors to be paid by October

Festival & Fairs Committee Chairman, Carnel Clyne.

The Virgin Islands Festival & Fairs Committee is expected to settle all its outstanding debts to festival vendors in the next two months.

Committee Chairman Carnel Clyne gave that assurance while telling BVI News that his team has already started the process of clearing the outstanding balance they inherited from the previous NDP administration.

“I would say about 70 percent of those were paid out of this year’s budget. Between now and the end of September/October — not past October — 100 percent of those owed in 2018 will be paid. Wishful thinking; 2019 will be paid as well. That’s what we are working on right now,” Clyne stated.

He said it is important for the committee to resolve its longstanding debt issues in order to restore trust in the organisation.

“The festival is finished for everybody but we are in the background just making sure that everybody gets taken care of financially and we are trying to regain that trust inside the committee where folks are willing to do stuff for the committee on the fact that they know they will be paid. We are trying to bring a new light and better image to the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee,” Clyne added.

In June, the minister responsible for Culture Dr Natalio Wheatley announced that the initial budget of all 2019 Virgin Islands festivals was $710,000. That figure later increased to $1.3 million.

Dr Wheatley said part of the increased sum was going towards clearing outstanding debts owed to vendors from previous years.

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6 Comments

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  1. Eagle eye says:

    I wonder if those so call international acts is on the owing list to be paid to,after all they are paying taxes here every month end.

    Like 5
    Dislike 4
  2. tell me ..... says:

    Is the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee a “Committee” or a “Statutory Body”

    When did it become Statutory?

  3. Styler says:

    Wow I thought Hon Premier Smith said in the House of Assembly all outstanding bills were paid and settled . That’s a DAM shame

    Like 3
    Dislike 3
  4. Foolishness says:

    Its the height of foolishness to spend mega bucks on upfront payments for foreign acts and leave your local acts unpaid for years. That does not make sense on any level.Going forward this must change if local talent is going to have an incentive to develop. The Premier cannot expect to go to England to argue about financial control with this type of record. We must get our house in order on every level to be taken seriously by the International Community.

    Like 15
    Dislike 3
  5. Piper says:

    Does that include the man from Fresh Radio Vibes who always on facebook bashing about a bill for 15k

    Lol school children want to know.

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