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No vending outside festival grounds for Buju concert weekend, City warns

FILE PHOTO of the festival grounds in Road Town.

Vendors will be prohibited from operating outside the Road Town Festival Grounds or its surrounding areas on June 14 and 15 for the Buju Banton’s Long Walk to Freedom concert.

City Manager Janice Brathwaite-Edwards said the decision was collectively made by several institutions including the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force.

“We’ve never experienced anything like this – 8,000 people inside festival grounds. From a National Security standpoint, we have to ensure that our visitors are protected and residents are protected,” the City Manager explained.

She further said: “We don’t have sufficient area to turn around to encourage people to vend outside of the compound. The show is one entry, once you’re in, you’re in. It’s not a situation where you can go in and come out, so the vending that they have allowed is inside the compound.”

Documentation

The City Manager however said persons who already possess the necessary documentation to vend will be allowed to do so once it is not infringing the restricted area.

“It is not that we don’t want to let people do business but we can’t afford to. If something happens outside the grounds, then technically we will be responsible,” she said.

“If there is a street vendor that is already in his/her location, we are not preventing them from vending. We’re just preventing vending from along the streets, on the highway stretch of the venue. For instance, there are people who vend on a normal basis in the city who have permission from us to vend. That’s ok. But, anybody else trying to vend, we are not granting any permissions and we are not granting any temporary trade licenses for these events.”

The Buju Banton ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ show is expected to generate close to half-million dollars in revenue for the BVI.

Reports from tourism officials are that most accommodations are fully booked ahead of the June 15 event.

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25 Comments

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  1. strupes says:

    THIS WHOLE THING IS BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION…WHAT 8000 PEOPLE?…WE NEVER HAD SO MANY PEOPLE FOR AN ELECTION, FESTIVAL OR MUSIC FEST…THEY ARE EXAGGERATING

    Like 32
    Dislike 13
    • Poor people says:

      Boy we get wat wat u saying but watch s**t here here its only generating money for some people wat about d poor man dat was looking to sell little thing to see wat he cud make. Wat a loss for some big show like dat and we cant maje a dime so only hotel and guest house and car rental and resturant dats gonna make wow

      Like 19
      Dislike 9
      • what says:

        thats life . Too bad

        • @poor people says:

          Here is some advice from the top…..being poor is always your fault…..The poor man is poor because of their poor man mentality, you always accept being the prey. If da lion dont kill, the cubs dont eat and aslong as poor people dont develope that hunter mentality to step on people toes, let go of friends who share that dead, humble mindset and start facing the reality of life is about eat or be eaten then they will forever be poor. No one is powerful without weak people to feed off of so there will always be a force that keep the weak minded down. Im not saying go out there and kill people….but for this particular event you would have needed the foresite and resources to get set up on the inside ahead of time.

          Like 13
          Dislike 3
          • I second that says:

            The rich will always feed off the poor people because the poor need to band together. You all new way in advance about the concert,that was the time to do what you had to do to get on the inside. Noooo, no one want a bunch of vendors set up outside the concert.You snooze,you loose.

          • Get it right says:

            Technically, it is the lioness that does the hunting and killing.

            The rest, unsurprisingly, is nonsense.

  2. Soooo ready says:

    Hotel reservations in order. Only thing to do is get on plane from NYC on Thursday.

    Like 14
    Dislike 3
  3. We'll be there says:

    Bringing the wife and 2 friends, flying in from Fort Lauderdale on Friday. The wife thinks DJ Khaled will be a special guest, I wont go that far but am really looking forward to Pressure. Too bad R.City isnt on the list…

    Like 17
    Dislike 2
  4. CLEAN UP says:

    WHY DONT YOU CLEAN UP ALL THE VENDORS AROUND ROAD TOAN. THE PLACE LOOKS LIKE THE GHETTO. OMG!!! WHATS WRONG WITH YOU??? CANT YOU SEE???

    Like 18
    Dislike 4
  5. Bad Idea says:

    The vendors on the outside that cannot get a spot on the inside should be facilitated. This event should not be for the rich only or those with power. Find a spot on the outside for other vendors. I am sure that part of the AO Shirley grounds can be used for this. Pure crap nonsense you talking about. Just lazy … think about the poor who too trying to make a little money. Think about those who may not afford the prices on the inside. Think. Think. Too many evil, selfish people in the place

    Like 15
    Dislike 21
    • Exactly says:

      Same thing I was thinking. There are those who made it and those who are struggling to make an honest living. But I guess some people forget where they came from. The bible says that God will punish those who oppress the poor.

      Like 3
      Dislike 3
      • Yo says:

        The vendors outside will create a nightmare for traffick. This is not about the rich oppressing the poor…..you are one of those with that poor people mentality. It was the swift minded who planned way ahead and secured their spot. Not everyone will get to eat and nobody handing out anything for free. Thats life….. i dont hear no success stories from rich powerful people about them getting a handout from someone when they were p**s poor.

        Like 11
        Dislike 1
    • @Bad Idea says:

      Come on now with the nonsense. This is not about rich verses poor. The early bird catches the worm. You can’t expect to just set up outside a concert and vend. I have attend many concerts outside of the BVI and outside venders were not allowed to set up or sell outside the concert. stop the excuse about the poor man not being allowed to make a dollar.

      Like 7
      Dislike 1
      • @@Bad Idea says:

        We are the BVI not outside of the BVI. We can think for ourselves and, we can and need to step outside the box. A special place can be set for those who want to make a dollar too. It is not about early bird catches the worm first for some. It is who you for or what your status is in the community. So don’t give me that crap. Because if an ordinary man or men were the first birds, that does not mean they would get the worm.

        Point: think of more ways vendors can sell if the place on the inside is filled up and yet, there are still those that want to make a dollar. If 8,000 plus people expected, nearly 4x what we normally accommodate at festival nights, you think that they will be satisfactorily served from on the inside. I and you know better than that.

        Like 1
        Dislike 1
  6. Sin Tea a.k.a. SuperVendor says:

    Challenge accepted.

    • Chosen says:

      Don’t worry all you have so much hate for the expats and others that is not from the bvi but u all will soon eat each other flesh and drink each other blood wickedness will prevail but only for a little while.

      Like 11
      Dislike 7
  7. Eagle eye says:

    Why hold a rasterman show if people can’t walk with lil weed.the ballhedad them messing with the raster religion big time.

    Like 4
    Dislike 2
    • Hello says:

      Weed is not part of Ras’ Tafarian religion or culture. The indians brought that s**t to jamaica from the ghanji rivers where they planted it in mass quantities to smoke as part of THEIR culture. But just like entertainers in america who were famous that popularised drug use, the same went for entertainers in jamaica….. Except their drug of choice was ghanja….. all the people saw these famous entertainers smoking…entertainers who claimed to be Ras’ Tafarian but are not and so the practice was then tainted and gave rise to the caribbean version of the “Hippy”.

      Like 7
      Dislike 2
  8. One eye fowl cock says:

    Tax payers money and propety (K T)production using

    Like 5
    Dislike 2
  9. No sense says:

    For more space the road should be block off and all the vendors set up tent on the road u all never travel to see different idea

  10. joseph says:

    So the Tolians and dem, who hate Caribbean expats, flocking to see Buju Banton–an “island man” from Jamaica.

    Odd. Most odd.

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