The golden anniversary of Crop Over has come to an end with the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) facing both praise and criticism for the festival’s outcomes.
Firstly, there must be an admission that the staging of the two-month-long festival is a mammoth task to which tremendous resources, both human and capital are required.
More importantly, Barbadians must also consider in their assessment, that while the Crop Over Festival is the premier cultural showcase, it is not the only responsibility on the NCF’s roster of national obligations.
Outlining errors is among the easiest jobs and there is no denying that some events were not at their peak. However, the NCF’s planners and coordinators do not have the privilege of sitting and wallowing in what could have been. They are required to plan and be nimble in their responses to changed circumstances.
The NCF’s decision, for example, to halt Soca 5.0 mid-show over the threat of anticipated thunderstorms was based on guidance from the Barbados Meteorological Services and discussions with sponsors and other partners.
Consider what the response would have been had there been a lightning strike in the Botanical Gardens, as occurred recently in Black Rock, causing a catastrophic fire at the Archives Department.
Hindsight is 20-20 vision, but in the meantime, we will offer support for the NCF’s decision to err on the side of caution, prioritising the protection of thousands of patrons including visitors over the desire to party and have a good time. From all reports, the rescheduled show was a hit.
One highlight of which the country can be proud is the staging of all the mass-based events without any reports of violence or major crime.
Celebrities including the country’s national hero Robyn Rihanna Fenty, cricket legend Brian Lara and former international football star Dwight York roamed on the streets enjoying themselves.
We understand that the cultural and creative industries of the Caribbean are extremely valuable to the economies of the region and competition is also coming from carnivals in the diaspora, in New York, London and Miami.
How can the NCF respond? The state body can begin by telling its story. It can speak to the high quality of its small staff. It can provide information on the developmental role it plays in ensuring that the intangible and tangible cultural assets of this country are maintained, whether it be foods, handicraft, games, music, literary arts, dance and other performing arts and even the century-old Landship movement.
The NCF needs to herald its work in producing the annual National Independence Festival of Creative Arts (NIFCA), the incubator for scores of this country’s best creatives.
Maybe, the agency should do more to inform Barbadians about the fantastic work it is doing in business development to help transition many of the small artisans involved in the production of unique products into the export market.
Beneficiaries of this export promotion programme undertaken in conjunction with Export Barbados include Tamara Gibson, Managing Director and Chief Chandler of Native Caribbean based at the Pelican Village.
This micro businesswoman has not allowed size to be a barrier and her candle products are exported around the world and hails the NCF’s Accelerate to Export programme for assisting her.
We understand the value of the Crop Over Festival to the local economy; its financial impact ripples across many sectors and so if it appears to have fallen short, the effects extend way beyond the West Terrace, St James base of the NCF.
However, we reject the idea of armchair critics piling on with their visceral takedowns of the NCF and its leadership. The organisation’s teams will undertake their various post mortems of each major event and ensure that they build, not only on the triumphs but on the missteps.
It would also assist the public in fully understanding the challenges the NCF faces by informing citizens about its annual budget and how those funds have to be apportioned.
The NCF would help its own cause in shaping public perception by outlining just how critical private sector sponsorship is to its ability to stage not only the region’s best summer festival, but the many other undertakings of the cultural development agency.
The post Crop Over is a team sport, needs national effort appeared first on Barbados Today.