The Government of Dominica has contributed 13.4 million dollars towards the staging of the 25th edition of the World Creole Music Festival this year.
This was announced by Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit during a press conference earlier this week.
According to him, this amount is 4 million dollars more than the contribution made last year.
“These things cost money, artistes are not cheap…,” Skerrit said. “But the economic impact is huge and that is why we need to promote it and support it.”
He continued, “And I think that we need to have a conversation on a more sustainable path of financing the festival.”
He added, “This is a conversation we need to have with stakeholders…”
Furthermore, the Prime Minister said the WCMF is an important part of Dominica’s calendar.
“I think the Creole festival is always going to be fantastic, I think we have been improving over the years [and] it has become the world’s premier music festival,” he stated.
Skerrit mentioned also that his government will continue to support the event heavily.
The WCMF is scheduled to take place from October 24-26.
it looks like St Kitts 🇰🇳 music 🎶 🎵 festival is the bench mark to measure by .They really catered for vip and all who attended the festival.
13.4 million dollars. boy… what could we possibly do with that to help Dominicans? let me see: 1. a factory producing things for both local consumption and for export (jobs for Dcans)
2. A solar power plant, enough to reduce the dependency on fossil fuels (at least powering a village).
3. getting proper equipment for the hospital, thus making it more comprehensive and ready for health related challenges facing Dcans
4. roads/bridges/helping the less fortunate/putting up cctv cameras around Roseau/traffic lights…and the list goes on
Oh my God! Really? Talk about living over and above your means! Music festivals in developed countries are private sector, profit making enterprises. The WCMF original model was sustainable and had a forecast to break even and begin to realize a profit for Dominica. What happened to that? We seem to now be chasing the wind with this spiraling costs. Economists Dr. Dr. Skerrit said, “These things cost money, artistes are not cheap…. But the economic impact is huge and that is why we need to promote it and support it.”
Dr., you told us Government contribution to the costs but what is the actual total costs?
And you said, “the economic impact is huge”, can you please quantify this? After all these years we cannot calculate the value of this impact by utilizing relevant economic metrics and multipliers? How are you all managing the national economy when you all do not seem capable of basic maths, basic economics, basic statistics!? Poor Dominica! Sewo on for now, plus tard plus twist!
Insanity! Why this vulgar amount of tax payers money on a festival mostly to compensate foreign artistes. $13 400 000 on sewo while the homeless population spirals out of control; healthcare in shambles, social programs severely inadequate, salaries and wages at starvation level.
The priorities of this regime are badly skewed. The present regime is driving the country over a precipice while the passengers party.
Roosevelt’s ego has become toxic. In these times of trials and uncertainty Dominica needs an astute leader not an arrogant bully.
Insanity masquerades itself in many ways, your daily rants and repeated mantras that to can be a form of insanity. Well that being said, is the money on a festival such as the WCF mostly to compensate foreign artistes, isn’t there an economic benefit to the Country,
https://kingstoncreative.org/2025/02/12/jamaica-as-a-festival-island/
https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20250625/ministry-provides-734-million-grants-stage-cultural-entertainment-and-sports
https://communityplaymaker.com/discoveries/the-economics-of-large-sporting-events/
Why are you opposed to such concept, it’s good for others and not good for us, are you really interested in Dominica development or the hatred of The Government. You must not distort facts and exaggerate to advance your hatred of the Government, is the Government ignoring the social needs you refer to. Do you know how much the Government has spent on social programs, the facts are there, so long with your tunnel mind.
I thought Dominica was into sustainability. People seem to say it every other word (alongside resilient and dynamic). So WCMF is hardly a sustainable event if it needs a $13million subsidy from the government. What a complete charade. Give the money to the poor, fix the hospitals and schools, repair the CBI funded apartment buildings that are falling to bits. Stop all this sewo spending – its ridiculous. #notarealcountry.
Spot on!
I respect your opinion, but I question its validity. Do think that by just giving $13million to the poor, it will eradicate poverty. Didn’t the Government got Dominica a Modern Hospital, do you know the amount of health centres the Government have built in the country, do you know the amount of Schools the Government is rebuilding or have repaired, I’m I making this up. Why the nonsense remarks about Government Funded housing by CBI, is it only these houses falling apart and need repairs, what about those built by other means, the housing built by CBI money are they supposed to be immune from repairs.
As your sewo comment, is this really your vision of the significance of having the WCF, https://www.totallybarbados.com/articles/culture/ncf/ are we to ignore such significance of having such government involvement in assisting our cultural events while others to do so https://carnivalvibez.com/2024/10/the-economic-impact-of-carnival-festivals-beyond-the-revelry/
Modern No, building extensions yes, leaky roofs Yes, cladding falling off the walls yes, Chinese signage everywhere Yes, construction of the site completed including the grounds No, poor management Yes, lack of medical supplies Yes, costly procedures even for the elderly Yes, the list goes on
Reading this I have a question .why throw this amount of money into a festival hoping to encourage people to show up from overseas and spend money which will never bring a profit to the t treasury but hope for political gains while money is being borrowed from many countries to fix roads streets in Roseau ,Wesley people are waiting to be paid for lands the high school in Londonderry is being used for half day sessions and the elementary school uses the other half day? Does everything in Dominica have to motivated by politics?
and the bridge up hampstead side still looking like a seesaw and when heavy rain fall peeps cannot go at there home
Woo what a costly party, not long ago we used-to-could only put $2 mil, wha appen lots of jobs, increased tax revenue, we sold something? hello👋
More sustainable if you turn it into a showcase, giving bands/ artists a chance to show their talents..and have just a few headliners. It’s about time.