By Staff Writer
Look out CARIFESTA 2017 — St. Kitts and Nevis are coming!
While the government came up sort of funds to have a delegation present at past festivals, budget plans are well in place to send performers to the 2017 Caribbean Festival of Arts in Bridgetown, Barbados.
Director of Culture Troy Hills gave the assurance to Minister of Culture the Hon. Shawn Richards that the Federation will make its presence felt in the largest musical festival in the region. While this was supposed to have happened in 2015, insufficient funding was available to cover the expenses.
The 2017 event will be different, Mr. Hills assured.
‘We were not able to send a contingent to Haiti last year, but we have met with the Minister and he has given the directive that St. Kitts and Nevis must be present,” he said.
Mills added the government is ready to empanel a committee to work on the choosing of artists and hopes to have a sizable delegation to attend in various elements of the culture.
He told parents at the recent graduation of Zach Nisbett’s annual musical summer workshop that it is possible several of his students could represent the Federation at the festival.
During an interview with The Observer, government officials could not disclose how many people would represent St. Kitts and Nevis and that plans are still being finalized as the budget is being worked out.
Mills said no funds were budgeted last year and that the government needs to deal with CPL and hosting of the CARIFTA games.
CARIFESTA will be held in Barbados for the second time in the event’s 36 years of operation. It will be held next June or July.
