VG residents felt shut out of 60th festivities
This was expressed to the Virgin Islands News Online on the final night of the festivities as a large number of residents who hail from Virgin Gorda (VG) had no choice but to get aboard the ferry at midnight on August 8, 2014.
“We are a part of this Territory, they keep inviting us to join in everything as one for the Festival yet we came over to enjoy the final night of things but what everything started late and we had to rush back,” said one disgruntled VG resident.
Another said, “We sat in the village from 6:45 pm listening to recorded music and had to leave before the band come on. I am p….d to the maximum. The only thing we got was stones jerk chicken and pork and conch soup.”
Most of the distraught persons from Virgin Gorda said that things could have been a little better had the committee insisted that the closing started on time. “They started the closing ceremony which was scheduled for 8:00pm after way after 9:00pm. They pulled back the fire-works to 11:00pm… all they were thinking about was themselves,” explained one who agreed to only use his surname, Mr. Wheatley.
Mr Wheatley said that while they got to enjoy the fireworks along with the residents of Tortola they felt embarrassed and insignificant to the fact that they were deprived from seeing any of the international performances.
“We saw the Intrigue dancers who we see all the time, on the way out to rush to the ferry dock we heard some guy called Revelation. If they had done things early we could have at least gotten some of Tessanne Chin who I came to see especially because one of the committee members assured me that she was going to be the first international artist to perform and I really wanted to see her,” said Wheatley.
It was a general consensus that the committee should have used their influence to have one of the ferry services do a late run at least for the closing night. “Speedy on their own push back their schedule from 11:00 to 12 mid night otherwise we would have had to look at the fire works on the ferry while we were being shipped back to we own country, sorry I mean island,” one said.
“I could well imagine what Anegada and Jost Van Dyke brothers and sister would have to say. Come on leaders stop the discrimination we are one people with one destiny stop treating us like your step children or if we are worse case Cinderella where the prince would never find our glass slipper and come to our rescue,” said another.
21 Responses to “VG residents felt shut out of 60th festivities”
We were there to watch the parade on Festival Monday and stood in the hot sun for hours and hours - WAITING! I was stupid enough to believe Mr. Blyden when he promised that the parade would start on time. Not until 2:00 p.m. did I see Ms. Hodge Smith roll past, only to stop for a good half an hour about 30' away from us.
I am fed up with this nonsense and won't be bothered with any of it next year. When I read in the paper that events start on time as scheduled, then I will start going again, but not until. And officials WONDER why attendance is dropping off. Did any of you ever consider that habitual tardiness, year after year after year might have something to do with it? Get your act together, have some consideration for both young and old, and perhaps then people will start coming back.
,,,, how can this major festival be enjoyed by Virgin Gordaian?
.....how can Virgin Gordians play a part in this major festival?
.....how can Virgin Gordians be able to have a planned financial spin off from this festival?
My friends this lack of integration on this matter "shall soon pass"
My friends we in Virgin Gorda are going to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for seeing more financial and other integration in these matters.
IT SOON COME....
When will ayo BVI people say thanks.