VG Fest an overwhelming success! Plans begin for emancipation
Minister of Culture Dr Natalio Wheatley has said the Virgin Gorda Easter Festival was an overwhelming success; adding that the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee can build on this success to stage emancipation festivities come July/August.
Speaking with BVI News last night, Dr Wheatley said Virgin Gorda has not had an Easter Festival for two straight years because of the pandemic and it was refreshing to see as many persons come out to celebrate over the weekend.
“You could see people were ready to come out and celebrate with their families, celebrate with their friends and visitors came from many different places and the quality of the performances was very high and all in all I think it was a huge success and something we can build on coming out of the pandemic,” the Culture Minister said.
The Minister told our news centre he, along with the Festival and Fairs Committee, is already planning for the July/August celebration and no time will be wasted in ensuring emancipation festivities goes ahead as planned and is also successful.
“As soon as that event finishes, we have one or two days off and we are planning again. We have new leadership, the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee, a fresh vision of where we can go, and I think Easter was important to give us momentum and to identify areas that can be strengthened. We certainly identified areas where we can strengthen, and we look forward to a very good July/August Festival,” Dr Wheatley said.
Stronger partnerships
The Minister of Culture said some of the key areas that can be built on is a stronger partnership with the different stakeholders in the territory that are responsible for the planning, execution and promotion of Festival celebrations.
“We want to strengthen our engagement with all the key stakeholders. The business community, the community at large; strengthen our engagement with institutions like the Tourist Board, strengthen our engagement with various community partners; persons from even different nationalities and things like that. I think moving forward we are going to see more collaboration and also strengthen our public relations.
Even engaging with the media. Engaging with them early and getting them on board as a key partner in promoting the festival and supporting the festival,” Dr Wheatley said.
Meanwhile, the Minister said there are monies approved for the July/August Festival celebration and his ministry is looking to raise more money through sponsorship and fundraising. However, he said people can expect a celebration that emphasises emancipation, the territory’s history, and its culture.
“Expect a festival where we pay close attention to spending; that we are fiscally responsibly, accountable, that we abide by the principles of good governances, transparency, accountability and persons can expect all those things and more,” Dr Wheatley stated.
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How could a festival what gone backwards be a success?
I ask myself the same question. What methodology did he used to arrived at that conclusion? Oh yea , I now realized, it was only his thoughts. Eh. Come on minister do better than that. Not even a survey of people opinions or a questionnaire. I hope the committee have one,
Shawonde and success should not be in the same sentence
Natalio doesn’t know what success looks like. I guess he would say that his term in office has been a success thus far. Poor mankind.
That’s the vapors talking outta he noggin. Did I miss something else he saw?!? Dude geh from here..!
If that was success, I donot want to see failure.
Yes, people supported because we all wanted somewhere to go. But to class it as such, nope.
Today is 4/20 so he would say anything.
CHUPES! I am sorry, but my personal feelings ate getting the best of Me.
and he is a resounding failure
All you can’t see that dude sick in his Cabasa
Mr. Wheatley you never fail to amaze. Really? VG was a resounding success. Moving right along to Emancipation. Do you have the line up of Festivities and Entertain to advertise globally so people can make plans to visit our shores? When are you going to get this out? The night before August Monday? When are you people going to get it right? This is why our Augusg Festival is mediocre at best. Everything is done haphazardly. NO PLANNING.