BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – MARKETING and Communications Manager of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority Saju Ng’alla said that plans for this year’s Music Festival are delayed because of the January 2010 General Elections.
He however declared that the Executive Committee has been meeting and a local promotions committee for the festival will be formed shortly.
The St. Kitts Tourism Authority is responsible for marketing the Music Festival and will package the event with the South Africa Test Cricket Match, which will be played a few days before the festival.
“We’re marketing both events together,” Ng’alla said. “World class cricket and one of the most electric music festivals in the world…all in one place, one week, one great destination, St. Kitts!”
He said that though discussions have already been made with some of the big name artistes in the music industry, the budget which would allocate funds towards the festival is yet to be passed.
“That is the reason why we have not confirmed any artiste as yet; we are waiting on the budget to be passed,” he said.
Ng’alla added that regional and international marketing has already begun and they have a major surprise for the island when the festival is launched locally.
“We’re going to have a huge launching in honour of a local artiste to commemorate his performance on this year’s Music Festival.
“The festival is alive and this year people can expect a special surprise,” he added.
The Marketing and Communications Manager said they have been conducting a number of surveys to find out who persons would like to see grace the stage at this year’s festival.
The majority suggested R. Kelly, Alicia Keys, Whitney Houston and Usher. He also said there would be more opportunities for locals in the Tourism and Entertainment Sectors to generate money from this year’s event.
“Persons are free to send in proposals and we’re asking those in the Tourism and Entertainment Sectors to step up and be innovative and help this year be one of the best music festivals,” Ng’alla said.
He said that the Music Festival fan page on www.facebook.com has over 1 500 fans and they are encouraging more people to sign up.
“We hope to give away more tickets and prizes on the page. We have already given away one ticket for the festival,” he said.
The 14th annual staging of the St. Kitts Music Festival will be held June 24-26 while the Second Test Match between West Indies and South Africa will be held from June 18 to 22.
Both events will be hosted at Warner Park, with the festival staging being constructed on the football grounds.
In a previous press release, Senator Ricky Skerritt, the Minister responsible for Tourism, described both events as “seven days of first-rate cricket and internationally-acclaimed music”.
“This will also be a wonderful opportunity for Kittitians and Nevisians in the Diaspora, as well as other Caribbean nationals abroad, to return home to witness what should be a memorable battle between the West Indies and South Africa and then stay on for the St. Kitts Music Festival, which follows just two nights later,” he added.
The St. Kitts Music Festival is the most diversified musical show in the Caribbean and is a three-day extravaganza filled with exhilarating local, regional and international performances. “World class cricket, mixed with electrifying music makes St. Kitts the place to be in the summer of 2010,” Skerritt said.
