The monetary incentives to be dished out by the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) Government are part of its efforts to aggressively promote Virgin Islands culture.

“Emancipation Festival is a cultural thing and we have to craft our festival celebrations as a vehicle to bring our Virgin Islands culture back to the centre,” Premier Fahie said during his 2021 New Year’s address to the territory, highlighting that COVID-19 had been a hindrance to the reinvigoration of culture in 2020.

“If we don't bring back our culture then we have nothing. So, it is not about Festival but rather our culture. Our culture is what took us out of slavery, through the drums and the dancing,” the Premier went on to say.

Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has announced that $200, 000 in prize money has been earmarked for the various singing competitions in the 2021 Emancipation Festival in the Virgin Islands (VI).

Planning for competitions must start now – Premier

He said while plans depend on the territory’s handling of COVID-19 in 2021, planning must start now in order to push ahead with confidence and heavily promote the festival through the BVI Tourist Board and other agencies.

Hon Fahie said Government will be holding singing competitions in four categories with attractive prizes in areas such as the Soca Monarch and Calypso King competitions as well as a local gospel competition for both groups and individuals.

“In each of the four categories above, the first prize will be $20,000. Second prize will be $15,000 and third prize will be $10,000. And again, these are for each of the four above categories. The prize for Road March will be $20,000,” he said.

The Premier encouraged creative composers, singers and musicians to get to work so that they can put their best talent on display and urged the business community to step up and help fund initiatives aimed at cultural development.

The Premier encouraged creative composers, singers and musicians to get to work so that they can put their best talent on display and urged the business community to step up & help fund initiatives aimed at cultural development.