Premier says festival will be properly financed this year
Premier Andrew Fahie has sought to assure the public that Emancipation festivities are expected to go ahead as planned and will be properly financed by the government this year.
Speaking to members of the media last Friday, Fahie said the government is currently working on sourcing additional funds to finance the celebrations.
“We are working towards getting additional monies. We are monitoring the money, but we are working towards that,” Fahie said.
The Premier said at the time when $60,000 was allocated to the Festival and Fairs Committee in the budget, the territory was still in the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic and the government was concerned about whether the festivities could go ahead in a physical capacity.
“So, there was not much funding allocated to festival. But since then, we have recognised that people are doing a much better job of being individually responsible with living and working with COVID-19 and we will be working with the Minister [of Culture Dr Natalio Wheatley] to ensure that festival happens in some shape or form in a responsible way,” Fahie said.
“We are still going to monitor COVID-19 but I still think we are comfortable to move in a direction to allow things to happen for festival. Maybe not to the magnitude of what we are accustomed to, but we must get back to it in a very prudent manner given all we have to face with COVID and all the other challenges that have arisen and I think we are getting there,” the Premier continued.
Fahie said any amendment to the current restrictions to accommodate festivals are under the purview of Health Minister Carvin Malone and his team. He noted that Malone has been doing a good job monitoring COVID-19 along with the Chief Executive Officer of the BVI Health Services Authority, the Chief Medical Officer and other members of the health team.
“We have moved the bar and increased the number of the 300 persons. So, we are getting there but we just don’t want to be complacent with our projects and fall back into any areas that we have long gone from. We have to guard against that, and we just have to take personal responsibility for each and every individual to do that. We are doing that, and I congratulate the people of the Virgin Islands once we keep doing that, I see we would be able to open more and more,” Fahie said.
Meanwhile, the Premier noted the recent resignation of the Chairman of the Festival and Committee Board will not affect the planning and execution of this year’s celebration.
“There will always be someone to fill the spot. I would like to thank the chair for all he has done but there will always be someone there to fill the spot and you move on. That is how I see life,” Fahie added.
Emancipation festivities in the Virgin Islands usually last two weeks beginning the last week of July and ending the first week of August. The last two celebrations have been held virtually because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
That way Sheep will get the stage contracts again. But the important things in the country can’t get fixed.
You too darn salty for your own good. Jealousy is going to kill some of you all.
I have not missed festival, and woudl urge that we abandon it for ever more. I would prefer to see the politicians and civil servants squander the money on another first class flight and 5 star hotel trip to a pointless conference (which at least I don’t need to see) than spend it on the public embarrassment that is our festival.
We love our country so we wont sit by and watch it being raped by greedy politicians
and you too dam stupid!
Sheep only in there looking after his own interest
Don’t forget all those ministers who approved and chopped up the port to share among them selves
because yo planning to keep election soon after…We got news for you…Wont even finance the schools and hospital
Of course it will be. Last one before the election. These people are so transparently fake.
He is prepared to go on a spending spree to jump up but can’t do important things like looking at reductions in import fees etc to help the economy of the country. And we call this man a leader. We got to be out of our minds. Mickey Mouse leadership.
This Gov just got their priority backwards.
they owe me since year.
Were you one of those who were looking to cash in on the Fuze Virtual festival rip off or another?
Not so fast. After April 2022 the old festival grounds in Road Town will be in use by the UK for public exhibition of corrupt politicians awaiting trial. Each defendant will live in a nice 8x8x8 steel cage, sleep on the floor and live in public view everyday until their trial ends and judgment is handed down. No electricity, lights, cell phones, etc. with food and water once daily. Pray the 2022 hurricane season is kind to the BVI this year.
We need good lively fun entertainment…One foreign band a night…Never like the idea when locals nock something up call a band just for festival and making noise for work…I support local music and giving local bands preference but not a nock up band just for Festival..The establish bands like Vybz.xtremes. Evolutions. Year round bands should be giving entertainment preference for Festival…
You might be surprised that his government get back in, and the COI has nothing on them.
Never go to festival, don’t understand it, hate the music, and can’t relate to it. So why should my taxes fund it, rather teach the children to speak proper English. Which will help them to communicate effectively in our global economy.
the big guy really is , he has just discovered the word ( PROPERLY ) and it all has to do with how to do better at covering their tracks . ( this time
The romans called this type of politics “bread and circuses” . Here we have festival and stamp duty waiver.
This is the team that call the bvi a Christian community.i hope that the pastors can plan a march against this plan and invest that money to our high school
Fix the Roads!!!! Before the participants break their ankles.
Fix them from East to West North and South. Fix them ALL. Before you build a big glass ferry building that looks so out of place. Just fix the roads. It will cut down on the derelict cats because the roads destroying the vehicles.
Who you kidding? We all still slaves to the crooked government. They throw you crumbs and all run to it because it’s free. Ain’t nothing free. You going to slave some more so the masters can take your money to give you more free stuff. Yassuh boss man, right away suh.