Despite controversy surrounding the UberSoca Cruise visit that shut down much of Road Town on the afternoon of Nov. 18, Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley defended the event last Friday and promised to publish the results of an economic-impact survey that is under way.
“While the leader of the opposition has termed this as ‘just another party’ and ‘government squandering resources,’ the UberSoca Cruise confirms that entertainment tourism is a legitimate sector of our tourism industry and can also give an economic boost to the retail and wholesale sectors of our economy,” Mr. Wheatley said during a press conference last Friday. “Many vendors were able to benefit.”
The party cruise docked here for the first time after the government spent about $470,000 attracting it to the territory and organising onshore entertainment to mark the occasion, officials said.
Thousands of passengers disembarked in the early afternoon for a “Punk Rock J’ouvert” through the streets of the capital.
Many residents joined in the fun, but others criticised the disruption as government offices, schools, banks and other businesses closed early and traffic was rerouted to accommodate the procession.
‘Marketing opportunity’
On Friday, Mr. Wheatley acknowledged that the government did not assess the economic impact of the early closures, but he highlighted the online “marketing opportunity” from the cruise’s social media platforms.
“During the activities, UberSoca’s Instagram page alone received more than two million views,” he said. “The Virgin Islands was at the centre of the soca world between the ship’s arrival and departure, and the promotion the Virgin Islands received was well worth the money.”
Mr. Wheatley added that surveys are being circulated to vendors and cruise passengers to help the VI better understand the event’s economic impact.
This approach, he said, will also be utilised for future events that receive “significant government sponsorship.”
Report to be public
Asked if the analysis will be made public once it is completed, Mr. Wheatley said, “I would be happy to share that information.”
He added, “We are developing a policy in sponsorship, and that policy will dictate how we deal with reports following events. But we recognise the responsibility that we have to the public to explain how, you know, public funds are used. So we’ll be happy to share that data when it becomes available.”
British Caribbean News
