Dancing through the streets of Road Town on Tuesday afternoon, thousands of revellers from the UberSoca Cruise took part in a “Punk Rock J’ouvert” where they threw colourful powder and paint on one another as water and foam rained down on them from above.
The party cruise docked for the first time in the territory after the government spent about $470,000 attracting it to the territory and organising onshore entertainment to mark the occasion, officials said.
The visit sparked criticism from residents upset about the disruption as government offices, schools, banks and other businesses closed at noon and traffic was rerouted to accommodate the procession.
But revellers found plenty to enjoy when the event kicked off on Tuesday afternoon.
Covered in colourful paint as he walked with friends around the Road Town roundabout, cruise passenger Justin Carter told the Beacon that the Virgin Islands was a highly anticipated stop.
“This is our second stop, and this is like the big thing that everybody looks forward to,” he said. “So it’s been fun.”
Starting behind the Ralph T. O’Neal Administration Complex, revellers from the 4,000-passenger ship made their way down Waterfront Drive as soca music blasted from two large trucks.
Joined by VI residents, they then danced around the roundabout and down De Castro Street before returning to where they began for a concert featuring local artists Jougo, TeeJay, Boss and Pascal the Artist.
The ship left that evening at 8 p.m., and the next day it docked in St. Thomas.
UberSoca Cruise Executive Daniel Reece told the Beacon on Tuesday that the cruise could “absolutely” return to the territory. “We’re very happy that we’ve been invited … to the BVI, and we hope that we can come back sometime soon,” he said.
Opposition
While some residents came out to watch the j’ouvert and attend the evening concert, others strongly opposed the ship’s visit.
“We have clearly lost our focus as a society when the government is willing to close schools simply to accommodate the UberSoca Cruise party,” Opposition Leader Myron Walwyn stated in a Monday Facebook post. “When children’s education is treated as secondary to entertainment events, it signals a troubling shift in priorities and a disregard for the long-term well-being of our students.”
Other residents took to social media to express their frustration with the traffic and business disruption caused by the event.
Additionally, on Monday, the BVI Christian Council released a formal objection to the cruise visit, stating that the event would have “significant negative impacts” on young people and other residents — and “threaten the peaceful environment that residents expect.”
The council also noted that it had previously objected to the Vybz Kartel Concert held in March, which government supported with at least $220,000.
Economic stimulus?
Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley, who attended the Tuesday j’ouvert, defended the ship’s visit.
“This partnership strengthens our tourism industry, supports our creative economy, and showcases our people’s warmth and spirit to thousands of new visitors,” he said when he announced the event.
Before the ship’s arrival, a United Nations Development Programme consultant estimated the boost the cruise could bring to the territory’s economy.
Junior Minister for Culture and Tourism Luce Hodge-Smith said his analysis estimated that it could generate an economic boost ranging from $600,000 to $750,000.
Local spend
On Tuesday, Mr. Reece explained how the ship’s visit would benefit the VI’s economy.
“Number one, all of the local production that we used to create this event, we have to source local vendors,” he said. “And then the vendors themselves, whether that is alcohol or food, that’s also part of it. And then there are taxes and everything that actually are dedicated to the local economy as well.”
Mr. Reece added that some passengers would also venture to local bars and restaurants after the j’ouvert.
But passenger Jimmy Cardo said he believes not many passengers venture outside of the planned activities.
“When they’re on a boat, all we know is, like, we do this event — like we’re going to do the j’ouvert [and] after that there’s an after party,” he said. “So that’s pretty much all they know.”
British Caribbean News
