Director of Culture Khan Cordice has responded to concerns that more monies will have to be spent to stage CARIFESTA XV, which has been postponed from next August until 2022.
He also denies allegations that sums already spent in preparation for the festival of arts would have been wasted. Instead, Cordice explains that the organizing committee is building on what has been put in place by the late Director of Culture, Vaughn Walter.
In fact, Cordice says, the country has been placed at some degree of advantage since the ground work has already been laid. Further, there is now more time to plan for the event, which he anticipates will be spectacular.
He says the CARIFESTA Office will remain operational up until the time of the execution of the event.
About two weeks ago, Festivals Minister Daryl Matthew announced that, following consultations with the CARICOM Secretariat, the decision was taken for CARIFESTA to be staged during the period August 11 – 21, 2022.
It has had to be postponed due to the state of Caribbean economies and the social uncertainties brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Held every two years, the last festival was staged in 2019 in Trinidad. This will be Antigua and Barbuda’s first time hosting the event.
