Chairman of the St. James Festival Committee, organisers of the first Windward Festival dubbed WINFES 2K7, Mr. Pearlievan Wilkin, is beaming with pride following the successful hosting of the festival over the Whit weekend.
The festival, which was sponsored by local telecommunications company, UTS-CariGlobe, better known as Chippie, was opened on Friday evening at Festival Village, Whitehall in St. James by Deputy Premier the Honourable Hensley Daniel at a function graced by the presence of the festival’s patron ninety-year-old Mr. Nathan Jeffers. It culminated on Whit Monday with J’Ouvert jam and a St. James Day Family Affair on Herbert’s Beach.
“It has been a tremendous success,” observed Mr. Wilkin. “We had four objectives: 1) to create major community involvement and togetherness; 2) stimulate economic activity in the St. James’ community; 3) revitalise and perpetuate our dying culture & heritage; and 4) provide potential contestants for our annual Culturama Festival.”
While thanking Chippie for standing with the community of St. James through its generous sponsorship, and the Nevis Island Administration for all the assistance it rendered to his committee, Mr. Wilkin pointed out that of the four objectives, the first two were clearly realised – judging from the community’s enthusiasm and involvement.
“For next year, I think we would like to include the calypso show and the queen show, which were taken off this year because we started late,” commented Mr Wilkin. “Probably we will have to start planning around December, and in doing so to involve some of the groups which already exist in the area and have them involved in the planning.”
While making remarks to officially open the festival the deputy premier, who is also the minister with responsibility for social transformation, Mr Hensley Daniel, told the gathering that it was the administration’s intention for each of the five parishes in Nevis to have a festival.
“When we took government in July of last year, we decided that we are going to organise a series of community festivals,” said Mr Daniel. “So far this year we have had the St. John’s Festival over the Easter weekend and this is the second one. We are going to have a festival in Charlestown over the independence weekend, and we are going to have to divide December for Cottonarama in St. Thomas and Gingerama in Gingerland.”
Mr. Daniels said community festivals are expected to provide a fillip for Culturama adding that if people are accustomed to share in the cultural diversity of their respective parishes, then Nevis could expect a greater showpiece during Culturama.
In ending his remarks Mr Daniel said: “I also want to record my thanks to Chippie for joining the community, for sharing with the community and for letting us understand that you have come not only to promote telecommunications but you have come to contribute to the social and economic development of the country.”
Chippie’s representative, Ms Carolyn Blake, who was cheered by the crowd since she hails from the village of Brick Kiln in St. James, said that her company, which started operations in the Federation in June 2005, was indeed happy to be out in Whitehall with all the revelers at the opening of the festival.
The company, she noted, provides employment for local persons on both islands and has injected considerable funds in the local economy. She added that as a corporate entity, Chippie is very proud of the partnerships and alliances it has formed during its short existence in the twin-island Federation.
“Chippie is proud to be the sponsor of WINFES 2K7 as it truly believes in the cultural preservation of Nevis and its people,” noted Ms. Blake. “We want to congratulate those who had the vision to organise such a festival. We also want to wish the festival every success as it is our hope that the occasion will be fun-filled, peaceful, accident free and that your goals will be realised.”
The area’s Federal Parliament Representative the Hon. Patrice Nisbett told the gathering that the festival was very timely saying that it would go a long way in trying to infuse in the people of St. James “a sense of pride of place, pride of persons and pride of purpose”.
“We here in St. James are grateful for the vision and the foresight of the people in the Ministry of Social Transformation for coming up with this particular idea,” commented Mr Nisbett. “We believe that this is something that is long overdue for the people, not only here in St. James, but for the people of Nevis. I am very happy that our corporate sponsor, Chippie, has stuck with us, and tonight they have come once again to demonstrate to the people of St. James that Chippie is not only concerned about providing telecommunication service, but it is concerned about preserving and development of culture here in St. James.”
The opening night saw acts from Calypsonian Clefton Warner, better known as King Meeko, who rendered his evergreen ‘Nevis Nice’; Odisi Band out of Brick Kiln Village who rendered their popular ‘Falling Friends’; masquerades by VOJN Primary School; African drumming by I Africana Drummers; Rhythm Dance Theatre; Brick Kiln Big Drum; and a duet by Pats & Courtney among others.
A food fair was held on Saturday on the grounds of the VOJN Primary School, while in the evening a bumper crowd turned out at Dick’s Bar in Brick Kiln, where Small Axe out of St. Kitts and Odisi Band out of Brick Kiln, were in attendance. On Sunday afternoon action switched to Sand Crab Hole where the two bands were again in attendance. The party which was supposed to end at 7:00 pm extended up to 9:00 pm, when police had to remind the revelers that their time was over.
Whit Monday morning J’Ouvert jam, which attracted a good crowd that defied morning showers and included Area Parliamentary Representative the Hon Jean Harris and Federal Parliament Representative the Hon Patrice Nisbett, started at the University of the Americas in Potworks at 7:00 am and wound its way to Newcastle, led by Odisi Band, and ended at Herbert’s Beach, where Ultra Sonic Band, another band out of Nevis, took over.
1: WINFES 2K7’s patron, Mr Nathan Jeffers (centre), receiving a bouquet of flowers. Standing on the stage behind him is WINFES 2K7 chairman, Mr Pearlievan Wilkin.
2: Chippie’s representative, Ms Carolyn Blake
3: VIPs seen from right, Ms Christine Springate, Mr Alistair Yearwood, Hon Hensley Daniel, Mr Eli Bartlette, Mr Nathan Jeffers and Hon Patrice Nisbett
4: King Meeko
5: I Africana Drummers
6: J’Ouvert jam at Liburd Hill
7: Revelers at Herbert’s Beach
