Digicel presents Gospel Fest awards

Digicel’s Public Relations Manager for the Eastern Caribbean Jerry George has called for a clean-up of the raunchy music being played in mini buses.

George, who addressed the gathering at the Digicel Gospel Fest Awards ceremony last Saturday at the Peace Memorial Hall, said that music had the ability to “drive people and create moods” and opined that much of the music being listened to by young people seemed to be about crime, sex, murder and drugs.{{more}}

The Public Relations Manager said that a recent UN report had listed the Caribbean as having the highest murder rate in the world, and suggested that the music being listened to by young people could be one reason why they placed such a low value on life.

Expressing gratitude to the various sponsors, Chairman of the Gospel Fest Committee Fidel Taylor announced that Gospel Fest 2008 was already being planned and that greater attention would be paid to details.

He said although the two closing nights had showers of blessings, greater consideration would be paid to protecting the electrical equipment and performers at the show held at Victoria Park, a place that was open to the elements of the weather.

Culture Minister Rene Baptiste praised the hard working Gospel Fest committee and thanked the sponsors for their assistance, noting that the number of churches participating had grown from 5 to 200. She expressed a desire to have more young men performing and hoped to establish the Performing Arts Academy to hone the talent of the artistes.

Awards were given for outstanding performances in Music/Song, Dance and Drama while the Digicel Award of Excellence for Original Composition went to Ronelle Conliffe from the New Testament Church of God, Belair and Outstanding Achievement Overall went to Hazel Thompson.

The Patrice Bascombe Memorial Award for Outstanding Performance went to Junio Kelly of the Faith and Life Pentecostal Church while the SVG Gospel Fest Committee award for Outstanding Church went to Kingdom Life Tabernacle Mesopotamia and an appreciation award went to SVG Broadcasting Corporation. (SG)