IDA warns: Rhythm and Soul Festival could threaten Tobago Easter activities

THE INNOVATIVE Democratic Alliance (IDA) has warned that the inaugural Tobago Rhythm and Soul Festival, which is expected to be held in April, could potentially threaten the island’s Easter weekend activities.

The event, headlined by Jamaican reggae icon Buju Banton, is scheduled to take place from April 17-20.

The second edition of the Tobago Jazz & Music Weekend, hosted by Trinidad-based promotion company Black2Sugars, is also on the weekend’s itinerary.

During a news conference at the IDA’s headquarters, Wilson Road, Scarborough, on December 17, the party’s PRO Kaye Trotman questioned the timing of the festival over the popular Easter weekend.

She said the party was not opposed to the festival, but wondered if the Tobago Festivals Commission Ltd had consulted with the communities of Buccoo, Mt Pleasant and Carnbee before deciding to host the event.

“While the IDA recognises the potential of such an event to put Tobago on the world stage, we must also acknowledge the significant risk it may poses to traditions, cultural events and the livelihood of our people if not executed strategically with great foresight,” Trotman said.

“As we look at this particular event, we must carefully examine the pros and cons of this initiative. The benefits that come involves international exposure of Tobago, since, in headlining an artiste like Buju Banton and other international acts, it can provide unparalleled opportunities to draw global attention to Tobago. It can elevate our tourism profile and attract visitors who otherwise would not have come to our shores.”

She said such an event can also provide an opportunity for cultural exchange and networking.

“But none cannot ignore the conflicts that may lie in the background. "This particular event is carded for the Easter weekend. And we all know that Easter in Tobago is a time when the island normally comes alive.

“It comes alive not just with visitors to the island, but it comes alive with the vibrancy of our local community events – Buccoo Goat and Crab Races, Mt Pleasant Sports Day and other Easter activities that are more than just activities.”

Saying these activities have fuelled Tobago’s cultural identity and empowered communities over the years, Trotman added the events also have generated much-needed income and resources to fund vital community initiatives.

“Why are we positioning such a potentially beneficial activity in a season that is already overcrowded? Have we considered that such an activity can be seen as competition, because we are now asking folks to make a choice between what some may consider a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience an international artiste of the acclaim of Buju Banton, and local, traditional, grassroots community events that have brought us together as a family, as a close-knit community to share the authenticity and uniqueness of what makes Tobago?”

She said it may be an “unfair pairing” at a time when some people are financially strapped and need to make a choice about which event to attend.

“Buju Banton may not happen after 2025 again, but there is the possibility that the Buccoo Goat Race may continue. But you wonder, will it continue if it is we continue to pair international activities of that nature against community-driven initiatives that have defined us and contribute to us being who we are?”

Trotman said the IDA was about consultative, people-centred governance.

“Have we sought a way to ensure that there is synergy between an international event and these local events when the THA is saying they have limited funds?

"Why is it that a state agency, Tobago Festivals Commission, why are they leading this particular event?

“The jazz festival last year did not come about because the administration indicated they do not want to be the ones at the helm and had called on the private sector to step up their game. Why isn’t it (Rhythm and Soul Festival) not led by significant private-sector input?”