THE EDITOR, Sir:
I AM DISAPPOINTED that at the conclusion of the best and largest jazz and blues festival ever experienced in the Caribbean, the executive director, Walter Elmore of Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, releases a threat to move the event elsewhere. Instead, he should have been praising the people for their massive support in such a disciplined manner.
He acknowledges that the core EP hotels of Montego Bay did help. It appears that the all-inclusive chains, whose owners are all based in Kingston, are the reason for his anger against us and his threat of moving the festival. I think he is extremely lucky to have got 130 rooms as I am aware that all the larger hotels have been running with occupancy levels in excess of 90 per cent for the winter season so far. I cannot believe that they consulted Air Jamaica and other sponsors before issuing the statement. I would be interested to hear what they think of the threat.
Walter, despite your unfortunate threat, I wish to congratulate you on a well-organised event. It was truly a world-class festival. You created excitement in Jamaica that no advertising campaign can achieve. It demonstrates that tourism must be event-oriented and that our government should be placing much more emphasis and financial support in this area. I believe that the seed money you referred to should be sourced by the Jamaica Tourist Board, through the Tourism Enhancement Fund and not from individual tourism businesses. Montego Bay and a wide cross section of Jamaican businesses benefit from these events, therefore we should not expect a few selected businesses to provide the sponsorship and blame their shortcoming on the city of Montego Bay.
FESTIVAL HAS OUTGROWN SITE
What is now abundantly clear is that the festival has outgrown the site. We are lucky that middle-class Jamaicans are so disciplined and are prepared to queue for excessive periods for everything from toilet facilities through food through exiting the compound to boarding the shuttle buses.
It speaks volumes of middle Jamaica who, for many reasons, has withdrawn from public life of our country. As an aside, what a difference to the quality of life we could achieve if this calibre of person was to take an active role in the affairs of state.
However, I am worried that there may be serious loss of life if a catastrophic event took place, and the crowd panicked and headed for the single exit. I am told that a security guard actually pulled a firearm on an unruly patron and it was through the commanding nature of a bystander, who saved the day, by having the guard holster the firearm. Can you imagine what would have happened if that firearm was discharged in the middle of the crowd?
I am also aware that all the existing car parks are scheduled for development in the near future; therefore parking will become more difficult with longer distances to transfer patrons between the car parks and the festival site.
I therefore believe that Walter's ill-timed statement may well be true but for different reasons, "Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival will have to move". A logical site would be the new Greenfield Stadium in Falmouth, Trelawny. This facility would offer parking for 6,000 vehicles and be able to seat all the patrons if so desired. To maintain the atmosphere of the current festival, I think it would be a good idea to place the stage in such a way to allow people to freely mingle on the field of the stadium but not to allow any personal chairs on the compound; for those who wish to be seated ample seating will be provided in the stands. The completion of the current segment of the north coast highway is scheduled for early 2007. When this road is complete, and it must be functional for Cricket World Cup 2007, then patrons would be able to access the festival from a wide area stretching from Montego Bay to Ocho Rios.
I believe that the move to the Greenfield Stadium, Falmouth, should be targeted for January, 2008.
I am, etc.,
WINSTON DEAR
Montego Bay.
