BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS – Patrons, local and visiting artistes and workers are being praised for the success of the 13th Annual St. Kitts Music Festival.
Minister of State for Tourism, Sen. the Hon. Richard “Ricky” Skerritt said Sunday that international artistes including recording artiste Regina Belle, as well as returning nationals were in high praise of the progress and achievements made by the twin-island Federation.
“Thanks to all those people, who has contributed to a wonderful and successful Music Festival that ended on Saturday night,” Minister Skerritt said at a public meeting on Sunday.
He said that when he was leaving Warner Park on Saturday night/early Sunday morning, one of the host of the Show remarked “It’s Working” in reference to the current slogan of the Ministry of Tourism that highlights the successes of the Federation’s leading economic sector.
“Everybody who went to the Music Festival could see that ’It’s Working” and that’s just the message I want to bring to you this evening,” said Skerritt.
“The reason why it is working is because this Labour Government has been working. This Government has been working hard,” said Minister Skerritt, who said that over the period of the Music Festival, he has been meeting dozens and dozens of visitors, returning nationals and having interviews with over 30 visiting media across the Caribbean, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
Sticking to the current tourism theme, Minister Skerritt declared: “This Labour Government is about working; working for the people, working to build, working to strengthen, working to improve, working to grow and working to help improve the quality of life for all of the people in St.Kitts and Nevis and working in the interest of all of our citizens no matter where we are in the disapora and is dozens of them who were home for the music festival.”
Minister Skerritt said he met a national who told him that he had not been home for 34 years and that he was shocked and he could not believe how far St.Kitts has come.
“Regina Belle was here 20 years. She came for a private function and she was on ZIZ. She was saying in an interview and she told me herself that ‘what a fascinating little island this country has grown into after 20 years.’
“Regina Belle, who has travelled all over the world……. she is a big recording artiste and she said she has been to Frigate Bay where she had performed 20 years and she was stunned, absolutely stunned and pleased with what St. Kitts had become. It’s working,” said Skerritt, who expressed thanks to “all the volunteers, all the workers, all the patrons, all the local acts who did so well.”
He said that over the last several weeks, the opposition party and their friends have done everything to disrupt this year’s Music Festival.
“They call into the radio stations nearly every day for the last three months. They wrote newspaper articles. They posted all kinds of propaganda and rumours on the internet and they told their people not to buy tickets. The one that really amazes me though, is when they started the rumour last week that Beres Hammond is in the hospital and he ain’t coming to the St. Kitts Music Festival,” said Minister Skerritt, adding: “When Beres Hammond walked on stage, everybody in Warner Park went crazy. They (critics) couldn’t handle the success that was inevitable of the Music Festival.”
He was also critical of the banner headline in Sun St. Kitts/Nevis last Thursday morning which read: “National Concern: Music Festival feared breeding ground for Swine Flu.”
“‘Baby T’ said she wasn’t going to the Festival because the line up wasn’t good and she is fearful of contracting influenza. A fella tells me that he believes ‘Baby T,’ is a cousin to ‘Baby G’,” said Minister Skerritt.
