Entertainers hoping to earn money from festival

Cautiously optimistic.

That’s the feeling of bandleaders and players in the entertainment industry following the recent news that there are plans for a new-look Crop Over Festival in 2021.

President of the Entertainers Association of Barbados (EAB), Rudy Maloney told Barbados TODAY while members were hoping for an opportunity to earn some money during Crop Over, they now had to wait until a final determination was made regarding how it will be held.

He said there were still many questions up in the air.

On Wednesday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office with responsibility for Culture, John King revealed that due to the COVID-19 pandemic significant adjustments would be made to this year’s festival.

King said while further discussions would have to be held before a final decision was made, Crop Over would be in a “form that people are not accustomed to”.

Last year the festival was shelved as Barbados grappled with the spread of COVID-19 on the island.

“We want to know based on what he [Minister John King] is saying if it is an NCF [National Cultural Foundation] initiative only or if the private promoters are going to be a part of it. We’re not sure so we need to have more information,” he explained.

However, Maloney took issue with comments made by King that Crop Over was about more than money.

He said entertainers, artistes, promoters and other persons in the entertainment sector had not worked since December 2019.

“He also made a statement that Crop Over is not only about money, but at this time where promoters and persons in the sector have not worked that is not something that I think we are going to endorse.

“We are looking to make some money and there is too much uncertainty. Promoters and investors can’t just take up their money and invest when they’re not sure what is going to happen, like what happened on Old Year’s Night. The risk is even higher now,” Maloney said.

He called for a meeting to be held with all of the stakeholders to chart the way forward.

Veteran bandleader and former president of the Barbados Association of Masqueraders, Chetwyn Stewart told Barbados TODAY he was not surprised by the announcement.

“What he said was obvious. If there is a Crop Over obviously it will be in a different form because we’re still in a pandemic. What a lot of people don’t realize is that Grand Kadooment is not Crop Over. Crop Over is many things of which Grand Kadooment is a part so you can have a Crop Over following protocols depending on what kind of events you do.

“What he said is nothing that should surprise anybody but you have to wait and see what kind of Crop Over, that is the issue,” Stewart, who is also a promoter, noted.

“You just can’t do anything on the big scale or anything that will be detrimental to how far we’ve come right now, so I’m not surprised by what he said, but what you have to do is wait and see what they will come up with.”

Stewart agreed with Maloney that the minister’s comments were unfortunate.

He said Crop Over provided a major source of income for promoters and artistes.

“I could see why people would get upset about that. Although it is true it might be a little insensitive to mention it now because everybody in the entertainment industry is hoping to be able to make something because this is now the second year without anything,” Stewart said.

“There is a lot more to the festival than  making money but the reality is that the people who are involved and the people who make it happen need to make some money.” 
(randybennett@barbadostoday.bb)