Lashley: Foreday still under discussion

MASQUERADERS and other stakeholders in the Foreday Morning jam may get their way.
President of the Barbados Association of Masqueraders (BAM), Chetwin Stewart, blasted the National Cultural Foundation for moving the Foreday Morning jump-up to the last Saturday night of the Crop Over festival, claiming that BAM was not consulted on the move and that change would effectively destroy all other events on what has become a major fete night.
In making a call for a change in date, Stewart expressed the concern that placing Foreday closer to Kadooment would put additional strain on bandleaders and stakeholders.
He said it would be better to move the Pic-O-De-Crop Finals and leave Foreday on the Friday.
Minister of Culture Stephen Lashley said yesterday that while the Foreday Morning jam was slotted  in for August 2 on the Crop Over Calendar, it was not carved in stone.
“It’s on the calendar, yes, but the calendar is done very early, but of course if an issue arose where we have to review a particular position, we’re quite open to reviewing it. And that’s the approach we’ve adopted,” he said.
“My information is that that is still under discussion between the Nation Cultural Foundation and the masqueraders.
“We have always adopted the approach that we will not move to a particular point without proper consultation.
“But you will be aware that last year Foreday Morning was huge. It has grown phenomenally and I believe that we have to work with the Royal Barbados Police Force and the masqueraders to ensure that we can have a safe event,” he added.
He said one of the things coming out of the last consultation with the police was to give Foreday Morning its own day, and that the matter was still being discussed.