Premier defends CARIFESTA spend as “investment in young people”
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has defended government spending on the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA), insisting that the funds are an investment in the territory’s young people and cultural development.
The Premier’s response comes in the wake of Opposition concerns over additional spending, approved through a recent Schedule of Additional Provisions (SAP) in the House of Assembly, requesting $1.3 million in extra spending.
During a recent press conference announcing the official BVI delegation to CARIFESTA 15 in Barbados, Dr Wheatley rejected opposition claims that the government had wasted money on what was described as “parties and indulgences.”
“Well, if my crime is investing in the young people of the territory, all of the young people that you see here, giving them opportunities for exposure at the Caribbean Festival of the Arts, then I’m guilty as charged,” he told reporters.
He explained that young Virgin Islanders had previously blossomed after participating in previous festivals and said the experience gave them valuable exposure. “I’ve been to CARIFESTA, so I know the impact that CARIFESTA has on young persons,” he added. “We’ve had persons who went to CARIFESTA in 2019, and I’ve just seen them blossom and grow in the arts, and I’m sure that that experience was important to them.”
Critics have questioned the reported $219,000 cost of the trip to Barbados, pointing to other pressing needs in the territory. But Dr Wheatley argued that cultural investment plays a key role in the BVI’s identity and future.
“There’s always been music festivals. There’s always been investment in the arts. And I am an artist myself, and I believe in the arts. I believe in our promoters. I believe in our musicians. I believe in our, you know, whatever aspect of the arts, graphic designers. I believe in them, and I’m willing to invest in them,” he asserted.
Discussions in the House of Assembly have highlighted concerns about government priorities. Earlier this year, opposition members criticised what they described as excessive spending on entertainment while infrastructure, healthcare, and social support face persistent challenges.
CARIFESTA, however, is viewed by the government as both a cultural showcase and an opportunity for youth development, with the delegation including 13 students and a wide mix of artists across music, dance, theatre, and the visual arts.
Defending the expenditure, the Premier said the event also serves as international marketing for the territory.
“Persons in the region… come, they spend money in your jurisdiction. They provide great exposure to the jurisdiction. And I think that’s also an investment that will have great dividends for the territory,” he explained.
The BVI delegation of more than 50 participants is expected to join thousands from across the Caribbean in Barbados for the two-week festival, which celebrates the region’s art, music, literature, and cultural heritage.
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Stop dragging the young people into your foolishness. You just want to go on a spree. These same young people have no youth programs. These young people are unemployed and sent to do bush cutting and clean Ghuts. These same young people cannot get water to shower and to flush their toilets at home. I guess you have the soca cruise 300,000 for the young people as well. What a clown!
Someone needs to pin this comment to his forehead!
Hon. Wheatley has a problem understanding priorities. The country is a mess. People can’t make ends meet and he is spending money like a kid who just got their first pay check.
Needs a Time Out!!!!
Hotel Room for 2 with our Money..
BRO IF YOU DON’T KNOW ” WAH TIME IT A ” DEM SAME YOUTHS WILL TAKE UOU TO SCHOOL , ( IS AK47 ) THESE ENTITLED YOUTHS CARRING , AND THEY AIN’T AFRSID TO PULL THE TRIGGER ON ANYBODY , NOT RVRN THE POLICE . SO WHILE YOU THROWING FREE JAMZ & SHOWZ LIKE WITH VIBEZ ETC , THE CRESTIVE YOUTHS ARE UDING IT TO THEIR ADVANTAGE , THEY LOOKING POWER TOO THE FROM WEST WHO GOT A TASTE OF HIS OWN MEDICINE , HE WERE FLEXING OFF FROM IN BALO , EVEN ON FACEBOOK , AND HEY SOMBODY DONE TS3KE HIS PLACE ALREADY , AND ITS BUSINESS ASUSUAL MEANW YA’AL FIGHTING DOWN EACHOTHER FOR POWER AND IN YHE MEANTIME THE CARTELS RUNNING THE SHOW IN THE BACK GROUND , AND WRITING YA’AL SCRIPT , SOME DON’T EVEN KNOW IT YET . SO YOU ONLY MAKING NOISE TO SOUND RELEVANT
What are the breakdowns of those figures?
Every week when I read the news the only actions the premier seems to take are spending and traveling.
OUR MASTER, IS SAYING)> BOI THESE YOUTHS ARE DANGEROUS AND ” I AIN’T GINE LIE ” , THEY ARE BEGINNING TO SCARE ME NOW
OUR MASTER, IS SAYING)> BOI THESE YOUTHS ARE DANGEROUS AND ” I AIN’T GINE LIE ” , THEY ARE BEGINNING TO SCARE ME NOW
The distinction between spending and investment is critical. Spending is transactional. It ends when the receipt is printed. Investment is transformational. It begins when the opportunity is planted. CARIFESTA is not a party. It is a platform. It is where young Virgin Islanders meet their Caribbean peers, showcase their talent, and return with broadened horizons and sharpened purpose. That is not a cost. That is a catalyst.
We cannot demand excellence from our youth while starving the very soil that nurtures it. Cultural exposure today seeds the creative economy of tomorrow. The dividends may not be immediate, but they are enduring. It gives life to a generation more confident in its voice, more connected to its region, and more capable of shaping its future.
then let them and thier parents pay for their tickets and hotel rooms by themselves, really is that simple and they get the benefits not the country which at this time is paying for them
This dude playing in our faces man! Like for every major jam, bacchanal, fete, party or some ish’, he flinging money at it! No accountability attached; no returns mentioned. Are you riding on the summit wave? Pushing that kind of narrative just so you could have fun? Take our purse away from him, please!
Boy oh boy! Premiere Wheatley so glad to hide behind these people of carifesta to rationalize his Vybz Kartel quarter million USD payout and $5 million USD to bank of Asia and nonstop party and traveling. Take that people , cheese in your mouth, you can’t curse me anymore for traveling.
Our Premier might benefit from reading an official description of what constitutes a third world country. Granted there are a number of elements to this, but, lack of sanitation, poor education, high unemployment and insecure utilities rank high up on the priority list. As one other commenter noted, the honorable gentleman should perhaps reconsider our priorities.
Add to this list, lack of affordable apartments for rent. The starting cost for some 2-bedroom 1 bath unfurnished units is $1500. The minimum wage is $7.25. Tell me, how sustainable is this way of life over the longer term? We’re in deep trouble. Talk about a Premier who is out of touch with reality!
i want yall goolge CARIFESTA
look that the pics
then look at bvi festival pics………………………………………………… so how we pretty much naked and them covered down in colorful clothing still looking pretty in those “hot” climate? hmmmm
if you look you can also see they have their own culture dance! wa bvi culture dance? doggystyle?? anyways the youths say that our culture now…. completely degrading!
Stop defending nonsense young man.
Are very weird and hard to please.. then they will say we are not investing in our youth and this is why they turn to violence … Here the premier is investing and that bald headed devi* complaining. MW needs to know what he is saying . I’m for this move. Invest in the Children. Show them what’s out there beyond our shores. Capture their attention before they stray. Great move premier. I applaud you!
Whenever the premier makes a good move Myron criticizes because he feels threatened. Premier=1 , MW=0 .
Point me directly to where Myron specifically complained about the Premier funding travels to CARIFESTA. We must learn to separate issues.
He included the figures. If it’s not a problem why include it? Why even bring it up? Tell me what was he trying to achieve here? I will tell you exactly what. He is giving figures to show how much money the government is spending/ wasting. So he’s not looking at it as an investment in the youths. He is looking at it as wasted money . Which is equal to complaining.
You said separate issues. I say open your eyes , brain and comprehend.
You still haven’t pointed me to the specific comment eh. You are just broad brushing.
Every year the premier sends 50 million dollars back to the treasury, Marlon and Myron criticize him for it . Now he is spending the money to promote the BVI, trying to boost the economy and fix some infrastructure problems and what they are saying now “ he is wasting money “. This is proof that you can’t please these people.
Can you identify which part of the infrastructure got fixed please.
Over $30 Million of the $100 Million we are borrowing has been lost already.
Premier now says some going to the airport that has not been agreed to. That can only go forward when the people have read the reports and made their decision. I can’t tell you many times we were told it was NOT a done deal, so I am guessing it is not a done deal so not sure how money getting squandered on that already.
Again. What fix to the infrastructure is it that you are talking about exactly?
You lead with a convicted criminal hanging proudly on the wall behind your head. You allow scooter riders to ride around being held to account by none of the existing laws of the land. You do nothing about the corruption in the DMV that keeps cars with deeply tinted windows hiding guns, drugs and criminals as they drive freely amongst us. You do not even hold your own Government to its own rules and have Gov Pickups and cars heavily tinted so thugs can go about their business unseen and unknown.
You invite gangsters to spout lyrics celebrating gangster life and drugs and guns and do nothing but obstruct the police and their attempts for vet out the corrupt and criminal amongst them.
We have no arrests or prosecutions of the customs and immigration authororities who came under the spotlight of the Fahie criminal networks.
We have no arrests or police investigation of the crimes with in Government and the Public Service to move funds by unknown and un named people. Even the Minister of Finance professes not to know who authorised the illegal movement of money into an already bankrupt bank.
We should not but you do allow fear to rule our country and our streets.
As your Deputy Fraser has outlined. You are a Dictator and run the country as a dictator where crime and criminals are your guiding light and you hide behind secret reports, hidden accounts and are hoping for Independence to come and save you from oversight and accountability.
it is you that keep use where we should not be. Living in Fear.
And you think by spending on Carifesta makes up for the damage you do?
that the Premier is scared of BVI youth. Since 2022 he has conditioned them to think that the youth are entitled to government sponsored music concerts, festivals and off island travel for the same types of parties.
If he stops the party one of the disappointed armed youth will assassinate him.
BVIslanders have a right to call him The party Premier 4 as long as music playing in the background or its some kind of fun happening he’s gone like a hot summer breeze on the ocean’s floor.