Not enough $$ for culture — Parsons

Cultural icon and former lawmaker, Eileene Parsons, said she does not believe the $382 million budget presented by Premier Dr Natalio Wheatly contained enough money for culture.

Commenting on the budget address recently, Parsons stated: “I thought it was very good. The only thing that I wanted to hear was more money put for culture.”

Parsons said she felt Premier Wheatly performed well in delivering the budget speech recently and said she commends the territory’s leader.

The former lawmaker has been a staunch advocate of the enhancement of culture in the territory over the years and was on record earlier this year criticising the BVI’s culture unit within the government for being on life support.

“Our Culture Unit, I have to say, it’s on life support,” Parsons argued. “It needs an injection, a double injection of life.”

The former legislator urged at the time that, unless there is someone in the territory’s Culture Department who is interested and has the contacts to get around and get things done, it cannot move forward.

She further urged that steps should be taken to raise and enhance the level of cultural awareness in society.

Parsons complained about the way that persons come into the BVI and habitually rename the territory’s cultural festivities.

She made mention of the transformation of the popular Rise and Shine Tramp during the August festival into what some have been calling a J’Ouvert.