Faye Wharton-Parris

Jerry Ishmael

The minister [Stephen Lashley] said for the much talked about Cohobblopot, there were two tenders for the hosting of the event, which was won by Rihanna’s Loud Concert and Barbados Food, Wine and Rum Festival organisers Premier Event Services – Barbados Today

The news that the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) has awarded the right to organize Cohobblopot, one of the premier Crop Over events,  to Premier Event Services with just over one month to go  is interesting. Has anyone bothered to ask who are the directors of this company? What is their history of staging cultural shows? Is there enough time for this company to execute one of the biggest shows in Barbados? How much money is tagged to this arrangement? It is all about demonstrating transparency which is (was?) promoted by this government when it assumed office in 2008.

The two people behind Premier Event Services are Jerome (Jerry) Ishmael and Faye Wharton-Parris. The company has a rich record of hosting high profile events. Of interest to BU is the fact that Jerry Ishmael is Chairman of the St. Michael South Constituency Council and Faye Wharton-Parris is the wife of the beleaguered former president of CLICO Holdings Barbados Limited. For some reason this arrangement has left a sour ‘aftertaste’ in the mouth.  It seems when the two political parties are in office the party faithful are always the first at the trough to suckle from the udder of the fatted calf. Will we ever change the way we do business in Barbados?

Is it not sad that the Creatives who make the festival what it is are the ones who continue to wait for crumbs to fall from the table of the Minister of Culture? Why is it we see the same names every year clutching the manna? The Chetwyn Stuarts, Dorsie Boyces (DB Productions) et al. The Creatives must see the opportunities which abound to play a leadership role in Crop Over and other national events?

The members of the yardfowl brigade will all chime in to sing the same old song. We like it so!

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