(DNO) – The World Creole Music Festival (WCMF) may not be held this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Health Minister Dr. Irving McIntyre, who spoke on State-Owned DBS Radio, said the staging of the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF) is not on the cards at the moment.
“At this point in time, with the data available and the international situation regarding the pandemic, it’s not on our cards at the moment, but that is based on the science available and the statistics we have based on Covid-19 internationally,” he said.
He said the Ministry of Health will not be in favour of such a mass gathering event.
Dr. Mcintyre pointed out that the decision has not yet been taken but said his ministry is in the process of making that decision, “and we have been discussing it, but most likely we will not be in favour of it.”
He said a decision will be announced very shortly.
Marva Williams Events Coordinator at the Dominica Festivals Committee announced in January this year, before the onset of COVID-19, that the World Creole Music Festival would be held one week earlier from October 23rd to 25th than on the customary Independence weekend.
However, as early as May, after the COVID-19 pandemic had been declared, Director of Tourism and CEO of Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) under whose ambit the WCMF falls, raised the spectre of cancellation when he stated that no decision had as yet been made for the staging of the 2020 Festival.