Saturday, December 16, 2006

ROAD TOWN, BVI: The government in the British Virgin Islands has banned a show featuring Tony Matteron and the 'dutty wine' dancers, which was to have taken place in the BVI this weekend.

The Chief Minister said over the past several days, he and his ministerial colleagues have been inundated with telephone calls from an overwhelmingly high number of concerned members of the public, young and old, about the weekend show with DJ Tony Matterhorn, in which the well-known "dutty wine" dance was scheduled to be a feature.

The Chief Minister said ' I am announcing that Government will not allow the weekend performance of that show scheduled for Saturday, 15 December. The decision came after meetings between the promoters and the Chief Minister’s Office.'

The Chief Minister said government reached this decision because of two reasons:

'First, the Government-required application process to hold this performance was incomplete. Second, while I am quite aware of the popularity of this dance in the Caribbean, I am also aware of the life-threatening consequences associated with this dance.' the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister said, 'I am told that the 'dutty wine' dance is a head rotation dance in which dancers use their heads, necks and other parts of their bodies. And those dancers have to move their necks in both ways. It is a strenuous whirlwind of a dance in which the head and posterior are rotated simultaneously.' The BVI Chief Minister said he heard a chiropractor on the BBC Caribbean Report had warned about the dangers of this dance as there has been a reported death resulting from it.

He said, 'While I know there will be discussions that if Government disallows this show, then Government should look at other issues, I say let us take one step at a time.' The Chief Minister said he appreciates the concerns expressed about the possible negative impact this could have on the young people and he knows there are differing opinions but at this time, his Government does not feel this type of show is in the best interest of the British Virgin Islands.

Anglican priest in the BVI Father Ronald Branch was the first in the BVI to speak out against this show in his sermon at the St Georges Episcopal Church last Sunday.

He called on all in the BVI to speak out against this show which he was shows immorality and will degrading to the BVI community.

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