Mike Hulsmeier thank you for the vote of confidence in the BEAT TEAM, on behalf of the Trustees I can say that we are all looking forward to working with the creative community on this, all we need now is a YES from Cabinet and we are on our way!

Mikey, I apologize for not attending your meeting. I do want to let you and also members of the group know that Minister Stephen Lashley was in the papers and on radio on the day before the meeting advising his concern that the Empire Strikes Back group was mounting a negative campaign against government. This put me between a rock and a hard place. Attend the meeting or show respect for the Ministers position. My decision not to attend was a difficult one but it was ultimately driven by what I believed was be in the long term best interest of the EMPIRE, as having government support and approval was and STILL is required. Again, I apologize for not attending and hope that in the end it will have been the right decision even if it was not a popular one among those who took the time to attend.

Look at this it took one year for jim mcgowan to dispatch an apology for not attending the meeting you see that alone shows the disregard for others opinion in matters of these kind there seems to be no real consenus as to finding a solution but a grandstanding of control hinging on selfrighteousness among those involved the truth it seems that the best interest of the Empire is secondary and the only real presentation being shown to the public is one of selfinterest not going to work.

@ David…you suggested “there is the need to disseminate its vision/mission to ordinary Bajans (non Arts)”. Please listen out on CBC news today, Dr. Anthony Carter..The Mighty Gabby….will be talking about the EMPIRE as a Trustee of BEAT Foundation.

“Mikey, I apologize for not attending your meeting. I do want to let you and also members of the group know that Minister Stephen Lashley was in the papers and on radio on the day before the meeting advising his concern that the Empire Strikes Back group was mounting a negative campaign against government. This put me between a rock and a hard place. Attend the meeting or show respect for the Ministers position”

I attended the meeting that is spoken about above by both Mikey and Jim…and it was indeed a well-attended meeting…and yes! creatives do get together…we don’t make a big fuss about it…but we are united at the end of the day as long as the unification has a rightful purpose. No sense getting our knickers and underpants in a twist over unimportant things. But Bills or decisions that will affect us, oh! yes! when the time is ripe we will unite in huge numbers, there is no doubt about that..

Now I never heard anything about that meeting being a continuance of a negative campaign. Surely a meeting to understand a situation is not a negative campaign…it is what it is…people being allowed to air their opinions. Their real opinions. Attending the meeting in this instance would have done nothing more but give all an opportunity to hear about the BEAT proposal. You were to be a speaker Jim…not a ‘rabble-rouser’ setting off to a war with anyone. Geez. I wonder why you feel now that it is time to apologize but I guess you must know. What I know is what I noted. You were expected. We went. You were not there. We had the meeting. Came up with some solutions. And decided we would all try to ensure that the The Empire be renovated and if creatives had to do it by hand, we would. Simple ting. Nothing more. Nothing less. Over and done with. I just mentioned it as you did. Just for the record.

Now re the above in general. Jim McGowan has been doing an amazing job at giving his case to creatives to vote for his proposal…and has openly shown this proposal to all and sundry and that is a good thing…the promises made within are certainly impressive…but…whether BEAT or Micro-Brewery?…well that is a matter surely to make a decision on, as Jim has been requesting we do, ONLY if we can peruse the proposals from both sides. No good asking the creative community, in my mind, to vote for a particular proposal unless we can have the opportunity of seeing both proposals…what if the proposed micro-brewery is the best proposal?

The Empire Building as I understand it was either given or purchased by government. It, therefore, belongs as such to the people of Barbados, no matter what government is in power. it does not belong to a particular Minister or Ministry. It may come under that Minister or that Ministry’s portfolio that I do know. So that is the main point as I see it…perhaps I wrong…would not be the first time.

One thing for sure…we ALL have fond memories of The Empire and I am sure would definitely like to see it back to its original imposing self, especially as it does come under the umbrella of the UNESCO Heritage Site of Bridgetown.

I have always believed that should The Empire be given to anyone to renovate/work it should be there to serve the creative arts, meaning ALL creative arts and ALL those in the creative arts field. Why? Because The Empire was a people place, a theatre that had its beginnings in just that, theatre, as in plays, and went on to cinema and used for concerts et al on occasion.

It would stand to reason surely that The Empire should be a place for creativity to continue its flow. A place where not only the history of the building could be shown but the visual arts would be in attendance at all times…with the outer yard being used as a place for contemplation amidst outdoor artworks…a state of the art stage would allow for theatre, concerts, dance. A multi-cultural place for all Barbadians…a place that visitors could come and enjoy any day of the week.

At the end of the day what is best for the Empire building is what should count right? I understand BEAT wanting to show that they have numbers behind them…but surely this is not something one should just go for because it is Jim McGowan and we all love Jim McGowan and BEAT…surely a vote of confidence if it is going to make a difference should be on the best proposal.

So David? Anyone? I ask again on this forum as I have asked on Facebook…is there a copy of the so-called micro-brewery proposal? Does this proposal even exist?

@Rosemary

Have tried to get the micro brewery proposal in the past with no luck. In Barbados our culture is to hide information of public interest.

@Jim

Having Rihanna onboard is a plus for sure.

the comments in support of BEAT Foundation is all well and good but the Cabinets decision is final and it is not favourable to BEAT. its a SHOW ME THE MONEY thing and I understand BEAT left that side of its plan undeveloped.

@ Oxford Direct….you seem to be speaking with authority on Cabinets decision so I can only presume you may have access and knowledge that BEAT is unaware of. Here are the facts as we know them.

The Mighty Gabby and John MacKenzie delivered our final submission only yesterday which was the deadline the Minister gave for submission, and that submission does in fact clearly address the issue of SHOW ME THE MONEY.

BEAT has put forward a strong case that includes prominent people on the team, access to the required funding…once we can obtain it legally with the approval of cabinet and a contract in hand, and the proposed use being a dedicated cultural hub and creative facility, in accordance with governments stated objectives and policies.

BEAT was informed directly by Minster Stephen Lashley that we have to make a final presentation to the World Heritage Committee of our proposed drawings, which is required for the WHC to finalize their review and consultation process in order to submit their recommendations, which in turn will inform the preparation of the Cabinet paper on this matter.

We are now waiting to be notified by the Ministry as to the time and place we can make this final presentation to the World Heritage Committee. So until that presentation has occurred the due process to prepare the cabinet paper will not have been completed according to the process Minister Stephen Lashley set out and put in place.

Our board of Trustees is very willing to work in partnership with Government who in our view has laid the enabling groundwork for this opportunity by inviting proposals, securing the World Heritage Inscription, and making a commitment to the creative industry in their recent budget and seeking to put a Creative Industries Bill in place.

Bottom Line….we anticipate that Cabinet will soon be in a position to make the decision and until that time….no one including Cabinet members can really know for sure the outcome….unless of course you have access and knowledge we do not…if so please share!

For what it’s worth I have a vivid memory of the Pierhead Renewal Project published in a local newspaper in the early ’90s with a pull out section showing an artist’s impression of the entire area including the upgraded empire theatre.
With all the cost overruns and wasted millions on contracts not properly scrutinized we could have found the funds to redevelop the city of Bridgetown as envisaged in that pierhead scenario;we are good at talking eh!Meanwhile Trinidad has more US owned yachts than it can handle berthed at Chagauramas,looking for a safe marina especially during the hurricane season.

Sad enough is it not David…sad enough.

ghee ! the way how it looks when all said and done they might even renamed the damned theatre. and we would have to get used to the words >>>>>>>>>>>>:formerly known as the EMPIRE. lets not get lost of the fact that wrapped up in this mess is MONEY! POWER! and GREED! fuh god sakes let the ordinary citizen voice be heard with their own proposals this is their country. .

@Colonel Buggy

Thanks for the pics, it shows how we really feel about these things. Lip service!

@ac

The average Joe does not feel ‘no way’ about the Empire theatre. It will be left to interest groups to kickstart the project and drag along regular Bajans. By their everyday actions it is clear ordinary Bajans are clueless about this project.

I do understand what you are saying but it as if outside interest takes a foothold on these projects and the average bajans is shut out . most of the meetings are held behind closed doors away from public glare and scrunity when one knows better they do better .david i do not believe the average bajan does not have an interest the problem is that they are not being informed until the ink is dry.

This is one year since the ‘Empire struck back’ and we are no farther down the road to restoring the building. An awful eyesore it is! Not even an environmental clean up and sprucing up of the ruins to make it more appealing to the eyes. November 2013 will come and the position will remain the same with the dilapidated building and environmentally obnoxious site in worse shape.

What a shame! Just talk, talk ,talk by a bunch of over-educated egotistical fools led by a tin pot dictatorial clown called a minister !
Do something people, or tear it down and turn the spot into an arts and craft stand for the real indigenous ‘creatives’ not the peddlers of junk made in China and the Far East.

Perhaps one of those moguls, or all , Al Barrack excluded, who have benefited tremendously through building houses for NHC, renting/leasing office space to Government, getting paid by BWA for a no supply, repairing Transport Board buses, supplying miles of Jersey Barriers, should be generous and plough back some of those millions into refurbishing the Empire Cinema as a thank you to the taxpayers of Barbados.

@ Colonel Buggy

Can you give us a list of names to call?

two days and counting and not a word from the movers and shakers involved in the EMPIRE project another reasons ordinary bajans show no interest one would have thought that this wold be an avenue for more frank and open discussion on the subject but NO! the socalled experts have packed up and closed shop leaving the ordinary citizen to speculate.,

John MacKenzie | November 6, 2012 at 4:36 PM |
………. was one of four trumpet players …….
……………………………………………………………………….
QED.

Quite correct. My apologies
John MacKenzie

well according to minister lashley there seems to be hope for the future of the EMPIRE and its restoration.