People believe that I have some sort of super mental and physical energy because of the things I appear to achieve and how I seem to achieve them.
A classic example is the staging of the massive Digicel Barbados Reggae Festival, which is again just around the corner and which, over the past 11 years, has kept blowing people’s minds by the assumption that it is all done by just two people, Freddy Hill and me, who manage FAS Entertainment.
On the surface it is taken for granted that the two of us single-handedly and successfully manage and micro-manage four different events in four different locations with thousands of persons in attendance.
So wonder how just the two of us could book and confirm a different package of foreign performers for each event, negotiate the individual contracts, secure airline seats on different carriers based on their countries of origin at the time, and find hotel accommodation that satisfies each contract.
Wonder how we could deal with four different sets of logistical challenges in terms of changing stage requirements, sound systems and lighting, with police and private security, Disaster Emergency Management, medical facilities and personnel (doctors included), backstage accommodation and catering, accommodating sponsors, MPs and other dignitaries, local and foreign media, with on-site processing of patrons and box offices, policing vendors and so.
Wonder also how we could meet the almost daily changing creative needs for radio and TV commercials, newspaper advertising, printing of tickets, flyers vehicle passes, identifications, and social media posts on facebook, YouTube et cetera.
In addition, wonder how we could have time to deal with the Barbados Revenue Authority (BRA) about VAT related to ticket sales, vendors, service providers and others, and Withholding Tax on the combined value of each foreign artiste’s performance fee, airline ticket and hotel accommodation; with COSCAP to negotiate royalties payable; with Customs about equipment accompanying foreign artistes; with Immigration for permits for non-Caribbean nationals or to have somebody’s status normalised.
Keep wondering about how we could also handle the most demanding element of all, the control of each event ensuring the venue is secure and ready for access by patrons, then being on round-the-clock call to deal with developing situations ranging from security breaches to equipment failure, vendors contravening exclusivity arrangements, sponsors, running order challenges when performers get stuck in traffic and, worst of all, the frequent threat of a day or night of heavy rain.
It should be evident that all the above and more could not be accomplished by just two persons.
Rather, it calls for the involvement of scores of specialists working and or advising in the various areas for at least three months.
One such person to whom we consistently turn for technical and logistical advice is Dorsie Boyce. So imagine him calling me last week and asking me: “Al, tell me something. How do you manage to find a different topic to write about every Sunday? Do you keep a box full of ideas under your bed?”
• Al Gilkes heads a public relations firm. Email [email protected]
