STATEMENT BY MINISTER FAHIE ON FESTIVAL 2010

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

Mr Speaker sir, Festival 2010 celebrations in the BVI have come to an end. However, Mr Speaker we must continue at all times to cherish our freedom for which our forefathers sweated, toiled, and persevered. Now, more than 176 years later, generation after generation has and will continue to benefit from the fruits of their labour. Mr Speaker, as a people we must continue to conduct ourselves in a respectful manner that clearly display to all that we value our freedom.

As a people we must continue to conduct ourselves in a manner that says to all that we remember, respect and appreciate the price that our forefathers paid for our freedom. Mr Speaker through such actions, as a people, we will continue to ensure that we not only emancipate ourselves from physical slavery but more so from mental slavery. Mr Speaker, our emancipation from mental slavery should act as our conscience at all times.

This should prompt us to engage in actions at all times that will move this country from Good to Great. This means that as adults, parents, government officials, and as a community we will act responsibly and ensure that our children have the hope of a brighter tomorrow. This means that we will engage in actions at all times that will bring hope to the hopeless; be a voice for the voiceless; and bring peace rather than war. Mr Speaker, our forefathers have taught us many lessons from their physical and mental struggles in their quest for freedom.
One such lesson is that there are two ways to face the future. One way is with apprehension; the other is with anticipation. Mr Speaker this lesson was put to the test during our recently concluded Festival 2010 celebrations.
As we celebrated Festival 2010 under the theme: “A Colourful Cultural Jamboree”; and the slogan, “Celebrating our Freedom with Family and Friends – BVI Festival 2010”, we were faced with many challenges. One such challenge was the possibility of not having our traditional Miss BVI pageant. However Mr Speaker, we faced this challenge with the same hope our forefathers had over 176 years ago while persevering towards freedom.

We faced this challenge with great anticipation; anticipation that the God of our forefathers would hear and answer our cries and indeed He did by sending us five national heroes that allowed us to preserve an integral part of our cultural heritage. These five young ladies were Miss Sheroma Hodge, Miss Jasmine Perez, Miss Cindy Maduro, Miss Shaunise Fahie, and Miss Shevon Gumbs. I publicly thank them for showing true national pride and for keeping an important aspect of our cultural heritage alive. In the minds and hearts of the people of the British Virgin Islands they are all winners and national heroes.

History will record that Miss Sheroma Hodge was crowned Miss BVI 2010, with Miss Jasmine Perez being the first runner up, Miss Shaunise Fahie the second runner up, and Miss Shevon Gumbs and Miss Cindy Maduro as participants in this grand moment in our history. More so history will record that Miss Sheroma Hodge, Miss Jasmine Perez, Miss Cindy Maduro, Miss Shaunise Fahie, and Miss Shevon Gumbs brought hope when there was a full sense of hopelessness. To each young lady, I can proudly say on behalf of the people of the British Virgin Islands a heartfelt thank you and may God forever bless each of you and your families.

I must also thank Ms Deborah O‟Neal and her team, especially Tamara Gill Archibald, Gilda Richardson, Monica Questelles-Benjamin, who were core members of her team, for ensuring that although being called upon at the last minute, produced a most beautiful, and magnificent Miss BVI pageant within two weeks. This masterpiece did not compromise neither quality nor the standard that is expected of a pageant of this calibre. Again, history will record that like our forefathers, Ms Debroah O‟Neal and her team brought hope when there was a full sense of hopelessness. I can safely say on behalf of the people of the British Virgin Islands, a heartfelt thank you to Ms O‟Neal and her team and everyone else who pitched in to ensure that a crucial part of our festival celebration was preserved.

Mr. Speaker, overall Festival 2010 was a resounding success from East to West. The August Monday parade was one of the most colourful and enjoyable. Mr. Speaker, the Ministry of Education also had an entry in the parade depicting our continuous journey of moving from GOOD to GREAT. Might I add that we were properly attired and conducted ourselves in a manner that respected the sweat and toil of our fore fathers, while securing our freedom physically and mentally.

I must thank the Chairman of the Festival and Fairs Committee, Mr Collin Scatliffe for his unwavering support and dedication which was a crucial factor in Festival 2010 being a resounding success. To God be the Glory that there was no major incident during Festival 2010 as security was “beefed up” to ensure safety. I thank the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force and all the local security firms for a job well done.
I say congratulation to the new calypso monarch 2010 „„Luther B”, Luther Butler. Congratulations are also in order for all the other participants in the Calypso Monarch competition.

I also must thank the different subcommittee chairpersons such as: Alvera Maduro, Lavida Cottoy, Frenchi Gumbs, James Lettsome, Marvin Williams, Krisha Hodge, Austin Todman, Sandra Warrican, Stuart Donovan, Anthea Smith, Pastor Melvin Turnbull, Franklyn Walters, Ryan Geluck and their teams, along with the Management Board Team and Procurement Team. Without the efforts of so many patriotic persons, Festival 2010 would not have been the success it was and for that I say thanks to everyone, especially my colleagues in this Honourable House on both sides of the aisles.

Specifically to Hon Vincent Scatliffe, you were quite a driving force for Festival 2010 and for that I say thank you and I will always remember the role you played in helping to push Festival 2010 into being the success that it was. I would like to take this time to commend Dr Clifton Davis for the inspiring words of wisdom that he shared with us during the emancipation service at the Sunday Morning Well and at the sunrise service at the Administration Complex. I commend Pastor Melvin Turnbull and his team for helping us through the words of Dr Davis to remember to bring “…bones of our forefathers” along as we progress. Mr. Speaker, I also want to congratulate Pastor Melvin Turnbull for being selected to appear on TBN which will be aired on August 23, 2010, at 10:00pm on Cable TV channel 21. May God be with him and guide him as he lifts up His name in this endeavour.

As Minister of Culture I am cognizant that we must be prudent in the manner we spend taxpayers‟ dollars generally, with Festival being no exception.

The Festival 2008 and 2009 reports are en route to Cabinet with the report for Festival 2010 to follow shortly thereafter. Upon approval by Cabinet the reports will be laid on the table of this Honourable House of Assembly. Upon taking office as Minister, I inherited the Festival 2007 expenses, which were in the range of just under two million dollars. I am proud to announce that through many initiatives such as the establishment of a procurement unit, among other measures, has allowed us to significantly cut the actual yearly festival expenses. These measures also included the construction of storage and restroom facility, which allowed us to eliminate the high expenses that were being incurred yearly for the rental of restrooms.

All these cost-cutting measures have allowed this year‟s actual expenditure to be approximately $1.3 million dollars. Mr Speaker, this means that since taking office as Minister in late August 2007 which was after the festival 2007 activities, to present, we have been able to cut the actual expenses of festival by more than six hundred thousand dollars within three years time. Mr Speaker, this is remarkable, given the many challenges faced in accomplishing this goal and I thank the hard working and dedicated public servants at the Ministry of Education and Culture and Mrs Luce Hodge-Smith and her staff at the Department of Culture for their unwavering support and guidance that have made this possible.

Mr. Speaker, we still may not be where we want to be with the cost of festival activities yearly, but thank God we are not where we were. We will continue to exert all efforts to ensure that we are prudent and forthright in the manner in which taxpayers dollars are spent overall, especially for the yearly festival activities. However, Mr. Speaker, a direct dollar for dollar to Government from festival expenditures will never be realised or achieved but the positive domino effect to the economy especially to our private businesses like car rentals, ferries, hotels, etcetera is priceless to our Territory‟s economy.

Mr. Speaker again I thank everyone who made Festival 2010 a success. Mr Speaker, we will build on our strengths and improve in the areas that need improving, but as a people let us continue to value our freedom year round so that the efforts of our forefathers will never be in vain. Thank you.