CROP OVER 2013 was a “resounding success”.
This was the view expressed by Minister of Culture Stephen Lashley as he addressed the 2013 Crop Over awards ceremony held at Frank Collymore Hall Saturday night.
And he has called on all stakeholders to continue to support the annual national festival over the coming years as Government sought to make it a bigger contributor to the struggling economy.“The season’s success cannot be solely measured by the gate receipts, the revenues earned, tourism numbers or reviews.
In fact, all of these are important but it must take into account the valuable contribution made by each and everyone of our valuable stakeholders,” he said.
The minister told the audience that “the success of this year’s festival can be attributed to the outcome of the various stakeholder events which were very central to the process”. He said issues which arose over the years were being “critically examined” and recommendations were being offered on a continuous basis in order to chart a way forward “for success, growth and development of the festival”.
He said there was ongoing dialogue in preparation for future Crop Over events, adding that the festival was “not only about the revelry, pomp and pageantry”.According to Lashley, “It has significant implication for the overall economic development of our island and the viability of so many businesses and communities. As producers and stakeholders, we must move forward with a reviewed cohesive approach to all of our endeavours.”
More than 60 prizes were awarded during the ceremony which had a moderate crowd.
The awardees, consisting of Junior Monarchs, flag people, the Calypso Monarch and band leaders, walked away with thousands of dollars in prizes, trophies, gift vouchers and staycation packages.The audience was treated at intervals to various performances and a video review of this year’s festival.
