Unlike the committee being subsidised for well over $1M as in previous years, the current committee received a government subvention of some $500,000 to execute activities for the 2022 Easter and Emancipation festivals.

Speaking on the Big Story with Cathy O. Richards on Friday night, August 12, 2022, Mr Walters committed to having the report ready soonest.

“That’s going to be coming in the next couple of weeks for sure. We have actually already started working on it, so once we receive the various reports from all the different sub-committees and we put all the financials together then that would be made public of course.”

Walters spent over twenty minutes reflecting on the highs and lows of the festivities this year and, for the greater part, was satisfied that his committee was able to present a package that catered to the wider population.

Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee (VIF&FC) Chairman Mr Dirk L. Walters has committed to having the financial and other reports of the recently concluded Emancipation Festival ready in a matter of weeks.

Money or time?

Mr Walters said that while the budget was small, time was the biggest issue.

“Time is the bigger issue more than money. You could have all the money in the world, if you don’t have the time for planning and execution of these huge projects and the human resources, we have so many constraints.”

He said other constraints include the lack of office space and stationery supplies.

The 2022 Virgin Islands Emancipation Festival was held from July 24 to August 5, under the slogan ‘Celebrate Freedom for Me and You, BVI Festival 2022’.