UPDATE: Piecemeal contributions hindering timely payments - Vanterpool Jr
“We’re still waiting on three sponsors (to make payments), at the same time, we are making payments as little or as big as they are,” Vanterpool stated.
He was hopeful that payments would come from sponsors at a faster rate so that a one-time payment could be made to participants of the festival. The Chairman observed that the situation was a delicate one and is being treated with the greatest sense of importance.
Vanterpool further expressed that payments are being made periodically to various businesses and individuals who are owed on the basis of monies being received by sponsors.
“It depends on what is in the account and when things are cleared, to ensure that no one gets any returned cheques… when we know that these cheques are cleared then we can go and write some more cheques to ensure that everybody gets payment,” Vanterpool added.
He also noted that his position was a voluntary one and dismissed any notion that he was being rewarded monetarily for his involvement in the management of the festival.
The Chairman further noted that his group is working diligently and have reformed the committee with a view to next year’s festival in Virgin Gorda.
According to the Chairman, the group meets on Tuesdays and anyone is welcome to join the meetings if they have a desire to become involved.
See below for results of the VG Festival Parade:
See previous story posted on May 14, 2013:
Mystery surrounds VG Festival prizes & payments
- Festival Chair denies sponsorship withdrawals
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Mystery continues to overshadow the Virgin Gorda (VG) Festival almost six weeks after it has ended with prizes still having not been distributed to winners.
Reports have been received that at least one festival sponsor has either withdrawn or reneged on a promise of funds, subsequently forcing committee members to scramble in search of alternatives.
Chairman of the VG Festival Committee, Mr Rupert Vanterpool Jr, has denied that this is the case but remains tight lipped about the distribution of prizes and any scheduled date for performers to receive their winnings.
The Virgin Gorda Festival was completed on April 1, 2013 with the VG Parade, a winner for which is yet to be officially announced.
When contacted about specifics regarding the prize distribution and announcements, Vanterpool would only offer that these would be done “shortly”, and offered no details or commitment to any time-frame for the payment of performers and prize winners.
When asked about a date, Vanterpool said he had to double check “many things” before a public announcement could be made regarding the prizes for winners of the various VG Festival competitions.
When the VG Festival was first announced, Vanterpool expressed that his committee would be striving to achieve maximum accountability, but events following the Festival have proven otherwise, especially in the area of transparency.
VG Festival Calypso winner, Joycelyn Searles aka Sistah Joyce allegedly received none of her promised payment following her victory, even up to the time of her incarceration.
Attempts to contact Chairman of the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee, Mr Marvin Blyden, to shed additional light on the affairs of the Virgin Gorda Festival proved unsuccessful up to post time.
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22 Responses to “UPDATE: Piecemeal contributions hindering timely payments - Vanterpool Jr”
lets get the truth out there.... this is a disgrace.. committee allegedly taking commission on people contracts, paying out deposits and payments without invoices? this b**. needs sum j@il. VG need a new committee with responsible members. i just hope mr. blyden and mr. walwin fix this mess. this was a disaster from the beginning. shame shame shame!!! if i was systa joyce, i wud break outta prison just to slap this b** silly.
Virgin Gorda Love My daddy Darvin George and they know he would not like the results of this year carnival.
İ really hope the people get some kind of justice or something. After a person done work, they should be paid.
Love and respect to Darvin George A very good man thats had a $hity carnival.
Please, you will learn you cant count your chicken before they hatch. You shouldn't have relied on sponsor money before you received it. Didn't you see what happened to the previous committee with L*Me. They didn't sponsor the amount that was agreed. So in other words if the sponsors don't pay out the money the people wont get paid. Are you kidding me? You should have ensured that all the prize money for the participants were paid out first. You have revamped the committee, you mean you need to resign from the committee. It was the worst in all the years that I have attended. You need an attitude change first dude. Your attitude ST*NK$....
Correct me if I'm wrong. This committee got a hundred thousand dollars straight. They had 2 shows, and a few fundraisers. Now you telling me it don't have any money to pay for prizes. Something is wrong here people, this just don't add up. The last committee got 50,000 dollars 2 weeks before easter and and the other the Thursday after easter Monday. They had more than 2 shows, a jouvert they had to pay for and fundraisers. And all the participants got their prizes by the Tuesday after Easter Monday.
We need answers from the Chairman and his treasurer as to what happen and yes this needs to be lay in the House before August. How can you be planning for 2014 and 2013 is not even completed, so you can know exactly how to budget for 2014. Trust me the same s#!t will happen.