Premier unclear on full gov’t spend for Vybz Kartel show
The government’s total financial contribution to the controversial Vybz Kartel concert remains unclear, Premier Natalio Wheatley admitted in the House of Assembly this week, amid questions from Opposition Leader Myron Walwyn.
Walwyn pressed the Premier for a full account of taxpayer money spent on the “Vybz Kartel and Friends Black on Black” concert, held on March 16th. “How much of taxpayers’ money went to the show? Whether from central government or whether from a statutory corporation, it’s still taxpayers’ money,” Walwyn argued.
In response, Dr Wheatley said the central government had provided $220,000 in sponsorship. However, he admitted he did not know whether additional public funds had been allocated through statutory bodies such as the BVI Tourist Board.
“The Tourist Board gives grants to various events and organisations. Those don’t require my approval and often happen without my knowledge. So, at this present moment, I don’t know what the Tourist Board gave to the Vybz Kartel concert. I only know what I signed off on from central government,” Dr Wheatley explained.
Walwyn expressed frustration with the lack of a clear accounting. “I’m very specific with my questions. I asked for things in written format. The Premier is just basically giving me anecdotal stuff that I can’t do much with,” he stated.
Dr Wheatley defended the government’s investment, saying the show was not “merely a party” but a strategic effort to boost entertainment tourism. “The entertainment industry is a valid and highly important part of our tourism sector and our wider economy,” he argued.
He also highlighted the event’s economic benefits, citing higher hotel occupancy, increased transportation use, busy restaurants and salons, and international media exposure. “The sponsorship of this event was a strategic investment rather than discretionary entertainment spending,” Dr Wheatley asserted.
Still, questions remain about whether the total public contribution exceeded $220,000. “It is possible that he got somewhere in the region of $300,000 of taxpayers’ money?” Walwyn asked.
The debate follows weeks of public controversy over the government’s role in funding the show, with critics questioning the decision amid other pressing national priorities.
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let me give a clear answer $425,000.00 US
I had already warned you now i will say again..I understand your love of music . I get it you love the flex / If you want pick it up as a side hobby on your days off , but please dont be obtuse about this …leave it alone. The peoples money is serious business , leave this to the private sector. The territory simply does not have the population to scale musical tourism events . It will get there someday but not now.
S!0wW@nde is terrible with math and is a terrible communicator. Those two qualities alone mean that you will never get a summary that makes sense. The man gave you a deficit budget with a smile what does that say about his competence
The Minister of Finance is unclear on the amount final amount? A question he had time to seek the answers to? Just tell the public even though you had time to find out that figure, you made the decision not to.
He is the minister of finance and the minister of tourism and he is unsure of how much of taxpayers money he wasted on a show? We are in loads of trouble in this country.
You really think he is unsure of the final costs. He fully well knows. He knows that giving the correct answer will open up a different can of worms, so he is being evasive.
Where is the report he promised.
We need a Minster of Finance tha can count and a Premier that has Integrity.
How much money did the promoter give to the education dept. as promise? Bunch of criminals
i dont want to hear no complaints in the comments cuz yall didnt have no backbone to show up for march against all this nonsense
yall proved to the politicans that you are afraid and satisfied with the status qou. The politicans were actually afraid of this march and tried there best to sabatoge it. that shows we the people have some serious power but yall afraid and weak minded
so now all them need is independence to whatever them want.
hopefully u will have a backbone to vote for against that!
show was a flop….look at the one in Trinidad the promotor didnt finsh pay so no show went on…so we know this guy got his 500k before he stepped on the stage
Premier
“unclear “ this is not news to anyone.
Independence ayo say when the finance minister never sure of the figures or can produce a financial report. The place is a joke. Government is the biggest shareholder in statutory bodies; almost all of tourist board money to spend coming from central governments annual budget allocation to them yet the finance minister is saying he doesn’t know how much money they spend or on what. You telling me he so unconcerned that he didn’t even think to find out how much they gave??I think he knows though he just shame to say how much tax dollars was wasted yet again on another flop. Just more taking up everybody money to use for the benefit of a few.
Your kingpin didn’t know that was the last concert he would live to see.
every party this man unclear of any profit lmfao
anyways we accepting this cuz Cleary we dont mind since we didnt show up for the march against this nonsense
This man went on the stage with Kartel, don’t let us forget Kartel is a killer just like yo k*. So only them can get away with it.
I thought he was also the Minister of Finance…sounds like willful ignorance to me.
This boi has the aduacity to think we are idiots.Minister of finance/tourism/lunacy.Wow this is not real country leader?
This is what John cline and Marlon Penn and Skelton is scare about with Myron walwyn, he is decisive and smart, and he other two alliance bretherin is his equal in intelligence, so the alliance will turn over the gambling table where the premier gamble away the tax payers money on parties and traveling and Vybz Kartel quarter million USD and leave the elderly high and dry, oops! To my surprise in the house when Myron question the the so call PhD and premiere Wheatley titled finance minister one of the many accolades to his name that he has no idea about, that finance, I notice natalio was giving Lorna the eye to rise and give some technical financial jargon that can hold Myron and the public at bay, but it wasn’t to be, they sat there and make natalio look stupid as a person who is not finance literate.
A smart person would not ve doing the things that he is doing. Time will tell.
Trinidad gov don’t want anything to do with him.He represents 6xxx and they want to get rid of the 6xxx cult taking over the region.