GOVERNMENT AND FAS ENTERTAINMENT could be headed for a showdown over the postponement of Sunday’s Digicel Reggae On The Hill show.
The show’s promoters have already served notice of a legal challenge saying they lost thousands of dollars owing to the decision by the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) to put off the event.
Spokesman for the group, Al Gilkes, said the DEM decision was taken without consultation and effectively meant that crucial services of the police, fire, medical and other associated services were unavailable.
“They left us naked as such; we had no alternative. Despite the fact that at 11 o’clock (Sunday) the weather had begun to subside and that by 12 o’clock the sun was shining brightly at Farley Hill as it was across all of Barbados,” Gilkes said, adding that there were patrons waiting by the gates who went away disappointed.
But when contacted last night, Attorney General and Home Affairs Minister Adriel Brathwaite said he intended to respondfully to the matter.
“They have made their positions public over the last few days and we will have our say,”he told the DAILY NATION.
His response could come by today.
Brathwaite is also due to provide an update on Government’s recovery efforts following the impact of recent heavy rains as well as Tropical Storm Tomas last October.
Yesterday he chaired meetings of DEM stakeholders and reported that much of the focus was on post-Tomas recovery efforts. The officials also gave attention to the changing weather patterns and the effect these are having on Barbados.
“We recognize that we are probably having more frequent rainfall and we need to better position ourselves to respond to the challenges,” he said.
The Home Affairs Minister also pointed to the need for a better drainage system.
Asked specifically whether heavy rains over the past two weeks had served to exacerbate the damage done to some homes by Tomas, Brathwaite said so far there had been no new cases for assistance.
However, he said a thorough review was being done of the recent experiences. (KJ/SP)
Please see also Thousands lost on reggae show.
