VI Festivals racked up whopping $600,000 in overspending for 2015-Report
The information came to light during the 2016 House of Assembly’s Standing Finance Committee hearing now a public document.
No money to pay outstanding bills-Baronville
When local artistes had placed private and public pressure on the Minister for Culture Hon Myron V. Walwyn, the second term Territorial At- Large Legislator about payments, he promised to pay them by December last year. However, it turned out to be another broken promise, as they were never paid then. It was just last month, March 2016, that all artistes were paid, notwithstanding some of them experienced challenges while cashing their cheques. As of press time the banking matters have all been successfully resolved, according to a source in the Department of Culture.
While testifying before the House of Assembly’s Standing Finance Committee (SFC), as they deliberated the 2016 Budget in February of this year, Chairman of the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee Kishma A. Baronville admitted the outstanding amount at the time of her appearance was some $676,000.
In a question from the Opposition Leader Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) as to why the local artistes were not paid, Ms Baronville admitted to the SFC in February 2016 that artists were not paid “because money had not been made available to date”. This was a contradiction to Hon Walwyn who promised payment in December 2015, but it never happened.
Huge overspending, Festival committee concerns PS
The Leader of the Opposition and Member for the Third District Hon Fraser stated that “the Festival and Fairs Committee was allocated approximately $360,000 and expended $904,576 which is an over spending of approximately $600,000. Hon Fraser further stated that he has a difficulty appropriating $300,000 and someone spending $900,000.”
The Minister for Education and Culture Hon Walwyn told the SFC that the Festival Committee has been working to reduce the number of overseas acts. He further stated that, “if the Committee does not have a lineup that is decent, no one will come out to support. There needs to be reduction, but not diluted to the point where you do not get support.”
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Culture Dr Marcia Potter told the Law Makers that the Virgin Islands Festival Committee caused the Ministry much concern. Dr Potter said currently five festivals are held within the territory and the amount allocated each year is never adequate to cover all the celebrations. She added that there is a need for a serious discussion and policy decisions to ensure that the Festival and Fairs Committee does not end up with outstanding bills which can be “embarrassing for both the Ministry and the territory.”
Minister Walwyn’s broken promises
Minister for Culture Hon Walwyn promised the people of the Virgin Islands in his first term [2011-2015] in office that he will ensure that the Festival spending is kept within Budget after the Virgin Islands Party Administration were never able to achieve this.
In the four years he held the portfolio of festival budgets he has never achieved his promise to the people to keep the festival spending within Budget. In fact, each year from 2012 to 2015, there have been massive overspending on the festival events.
Mr Walwyn has blamed his ruling National Democratic Party Administration for not allocating enough monies to cover the four festivals, three on Tortola and one on Virgin Gorda.
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45 Responses to “VI Festivals racked up whopping $600,000 in overspending for 2015-Report”
Option 1
Returning all activities to town and give each committee the authority to control operations of the festival grounds for 2 nights. Government could also benefit from investing in their own stage and just pay erection, maintenance and dismantling costs. They could also rent it out as necessary.
Option 2
Let Road Town maintain their operations for a shortened time frame than last year, then let CB Comittee get their usual timeframe in using RT village and let East End Committee maintain their timeframe like last year.
Option 3
Outsource all entertainment to private promoters to bear the cost, but this will upset patrons who will have to now pay for every night.
All in all, the country cannot continue to operate this way as it is digging an endless pit of debt, hence reducing any assistance or benefits (pension, infrastructure development, operational cash etc) available to the residents of the Territory. We will all feel the wasteful spending one way or another. It is better to wise up now, before it is wayyyy too late.
(1) Thursday 28th July 2016 Gospelfest.
(2) Friday 29th July 2016 Food Fair, Opening of Road Town Village, Local and International Entertainers.
(3) Saturday 30th July 2016 Kiddies Fiesta, International Night in the Village, Local and International Entertainers.
(4) Sunday 31st July 2016 Miss BVI Pagent, Local and International Entertainers, Start of Rise and Shine Tramp.
(5) Monday 1st August 2016 Rise and Shine Tramp, August Monday Parade, Closing of Road Town Village.
(6) Tuesday 2nd August 2016 Second Rise and Shine Tramp, Water Sports, Horse Racing, Opening of East End Village.
(7) Wednesday 3rd August 2016 East End Long Look Rise and Shine Tramp, Parade, Closing of East End Long Look Village.
(8) Thursday 4th August 2016 Carrot Bay Cultural Day, Opening of carrot Bay Village.
(9) Friday 5th August 2016 Carrot bay Fisherman Day, Village Night, Local and International Entertainers.
(10) Saturday 6th August 2016 Carrot Bay Cultural Day Food Fair, Closing of Carrot Bay Village and end of BVI Festival celebrations. Just my thoughts. Ten days with three sets of action packed events.
Flew in every year from US for festival. Sometimes made town. Never missed Carrot Bay. They try to preserve the old ways of a village celebration.