Duke questions changes to Heritage Festival

THE removal of nine events from this year's Tobago Heritage Festival is very concerning, says Watson Duke, political leader of the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) and electoral representative for Roxborough/Argyle.

Speaking at a PDP press conference on June 20 at the party’s Scarborough office, Duke queried why events were taken off the calendar issued by the Tobago Festivals Commission Ltd, describing the situation as “a sad state.”

“It has to do with people feeling lost in Tobago. People feel as though they are being disenfranchised by Farley’s administration. There is no longer the will of Tobagonians to pursue dreams, they are just lying down now and hoping to get some rest – no dreams.”

The festival starts on July 1 and runs until August 1 under the theme: We Come Back.

The events that were removed are the opening night gala, Store Bay’s Wake and Bongo, Black Rock Sea and Pan Festival, Belle Garden’s Belle Festival, Buccoo’s Goat and Crab Race, Goodwood’s Yam Festival, Pembroke Salaka Feast, Les Coteaux Folktales and Superstitions and Old Time Market, along with Scarborough’s Rumshop Lime.

“Personally, I know Pembroke – they were very good very good, with the heritage; Black Rock – they stood out from the rest, perfect in their demonstration of heritage; when we come to Les Coteaux – people would have left from all over, people hear about those jumbie stories and the old-time way of doing things.

"So it's sad that after a few years in office, people are no longer interested in culture and the heritage, when one of the things about self-determination is that the cultural development of an island should always be left up to the people of the island to develop it.”

He added: “So don’t be surprised if you see Trinidadians coming here and keeping Heritage Village (sic), because that’s where his friends are, that’s where their friends are – in Trinidad.”

THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine told the media on June 18 it was up to individual villages whether they participate in the annual Tobago Heritage Festival.

He said the festival had been around since 1987, and villages had always had the choice to take part or not.