Premier questions whether VIF&FC should continue to be run by volunteers
“We're in a new era, we experience a Commission of Inquiry, and the Festival and Fairs [Committee] handles large amounts of cash, and we have to make sure that we have a structure that will allow accountability for the use of taxpayer money, especially when you're dealing with those large amounts of cash,” he said during a press conference on August 24, 2023.
Changing structure of VIF&FC
Premier Wheatley said that people need to ask themselves whether a committee, which is dominated by volunteers, is the correct structure moving forward to ensure the level of accountability for taxpayers' finances moving forward.
“And how well can you hold accountable, volunteers for the spending of huge sums of money?”
The Premier further questioned whether it was even fair to place those types of responsibilities on persons who are volunteers.
“Is it time that we introduce a structure where you have persons working full time on Festival?” he asked while adding that both the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the committee own businesses and have their own affairs to attend to.
“All of the people involved have contributed lots of hours to organising the celebrations and the question is if you want to start earlier and if you want to do more planning? Is it sustainable to ask volunteers to be able to do that?”
Best step moving forward
Dr Wheatley said while the committee has the power to hire staff and pay persons, the question remains whether that would even be the best structure moving forward.
The Premier said; however, that he didn't want to get too far ahead of himself and say exactly what the VIF&FC was going to look like in the future since there must be consultation with the present Festival and Fairs Committee, "and we have to consult with all of our stakeholders and their input will be valuable in the process,” he added.
The Premier said the present structure has a lot of challenges, however, change is difficult and in many places, people don't accept change well.
“So we have to be willing to make changes in the Virgin Islands if you want to see improvements in a number of areas,” he added.
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20 Responses to “Premier questions whether VIF&FC should continue to be run by volunteers”
Luce ensured that the Culture Department remained relevant and deeply involved in the festival activities through the years despite her leadership role ‘big or small’ on the VI Festival & Fairs Committee, so why was he making excuses for the Director of Culture? Why is the Premier trying to cover the Director’s failures?
Fix the roads, solid waste incinerator, sewage and water, schools, etc.
Do the job that you are overpaid to do!