BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Green Valley Community Festival officially opened last night (May 20) with a joint promotion by the St. Kitts Music Festival and the Festival’s Committee.
As a result of the joint promotion, several local artistes who would be performing on this year’s Music Festival made appearances.
Those artistes included SMI, Pepper Ranks and Jah Fire, while there were also performances by ITYC, Marshall C and STC.
The festival was officially opened by Parliamentary Representative for Constituency Eight Hon. Eugene Hamilton, who said that Green Valley has contributed to the country on a national stage.
He noted that the first calypso king also hailed from Green Valley and was called ‘The Entertainer’. Hamilton said that some festivals have lost their creativity and he encouraged Green Valley to organise events that would bring the community together.
“I want to recommend that the Green Valley Committee considers a Spelling Bee that sees the people from Conaree, the people from Keys, those from Lodge and Upper and Lower Cayon compete to be the best spellers in Green Valley,” he said.
He also said that an Adults Sports Day would assist in bringing the community together, and recommended that those events be considered.
“These kinds of events encourage community development, community engagement and community involvement.”
There were also remarks made by the Chairman of the Festival, Vernon Benjamin, who said that the annual event managed to survive despite many challenges.
“We’ve had many adversities. Members have left to enter politics, there have been deaths, migration and unsubstantial rumours that have caused us not to function as we should, but through the adversities we are still able to celebrate 14 years of the festival,” he said.
The six contestants that will be competing tonight for the Miss Green Valley title were also officially introduced to the crowd that gathered in the Festival Village.
The night ended with a performance by the reigning Road March Champions, Grand Masters Band.
