Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottey has officially declared open the 2024 Crop Over Festival emphasizing the need to preserve the uniqueness of the festival, urging national unity and also delivering a stern warning to the perpetrators of gun violence.
Speaking at National Heroes Square during the Digicel Ceremonial Delivery of the Last Canes, Prime Minister Mottley who described herself as a child of Crop Over, chronicled her long association with the entertainment and cultural industries from an early age in a variety of capacities.
She stressed the need to maintain the uniqueness of the festival that differentiates it from other carnivals around the world, noting that Crop Over was uniquely crafted by Bajans for Bajans.
She urged the country to embrace the festival and also called for national unity while issuing a warning to those elements she believes pose a threat to the peace and safety of society.
Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley
Meantime, Chairman of the National Cultural Foundation, Dr. Jasmine Babb, urged the country to join in ensuring the success of the festival now and in the future, noting it’s role as a unifying force in the nation.
Chairman of the NCF, Dr. Jasmine Babb
Natalie Abrahams, CEO of Digicel, the title sponsor of the Crop Over Festival launch, stressed the significance of the milestone 50th anniversary.
CEO Digicel, Natalie Abrahams.
