The Real Cost Of The Free UN Concert Not Yet Known

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The government says it cannot yet say how much it will end up spending to host this weekend’s Play It Out concert.

The event is being jointly hosted with the UN General Assembly that is expected to foot only part of the bill.

Government spokesman Lionel Max Hurst says some of Antigua’s cost will be supported by various contributions.

He did not indicate who will be contributing.

“I won’t be sure of the government’s contribution until after the concert is over,” Hurst old ANR in a voice note.

He said part of the reason is that they have contributors who are helping to reduce what would have been the cost to the government.

“And those contributions won’t begin to come in until the day of the concert, the day before or even after the concert,” he added.

Hurst promised to give an accounting after the concert has ended “but it will be very difficult to tell you what the government’s contribution is now.”

International acts who are known to attract tens of thousands of dollars in fees will come from all over the world for the event.

Along with Machel Montano, the concert, which aims to Play it Out to Phase it Out, will be co-headlined by Grammy Award-Winning Singer/Actress Ashanti, who will be visiting Antigua and Barbuda for the first time. Joining the pair will be a lineup of artists and performers covering different regions, demographics and music styles. They include American indie-rock band St. Lucia; Bomba Estéreo, an electric-duo hailing from Colombia; Nico & Vinz, an R&B act from Norway; Rocky Dawuni, Ghana’s premiere reggae artist and UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador; and Grammy-nominated German DJ/producer Robin Schulz. The event will also feature top local artists, including Ricardo Drue and Claudette Peters. Antigua’s Kanneh-Masons, who performed at the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle, will also perform.

Additionally, the concert will feature an array of speakers including dignitaries, policymakers, celebrities, and representatives from the scientific, philanthropic and academic communities. This includes actor, co-founder of Lonely Whale, and UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador, Adrian Grenier.

The Anti-Plastics “Play It Out” Concert will take place on Saturday afternoon, beginning at 4:00 pm on June 1, 2019, at no cost to those attending.

Antigua and Barbuda was selected from among the UN’s 194 member-states because of the country’s forward push to ban plastics and Styrofoam—two very harmful substances that are wreaking havoc on the world’s oceans, fish stocks and landfills.

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18 COMMENTS

  1. The real cost is what you guys are interested in only. Not the real benefits that this country will be reaping. We will become in one day the focus of the entire world. No amount of marketing could have done this for us. It now up to us to use this opportunity and market our tourism product to the rest of the world. Lets show case Antigua and Barbuda to the rest of the world.

  2. What’s the premature accounting talk all about?
    The gov’t of Norway has this covered.
    We don’t usually give account for what is spent at concerts, why start now? (tongue in cheek)

  3. Shopping at the supermarket and not knowing what is in your purse?. Or covering up the true bill the Antiguan citizens taxes will be paying for these artists?. Yet again GOAB are telling the world they are Broke, so why have something if you can’t afford it?.

    • That is why we are known as a can do government. We bought WIOC without having a dime. And so we have done many other things that the inept UPP government could not do. Like abolishing income tax and sending home the IMF and still paying them off before time. Amazing isn’t it.

    • Catch the vision live the dream. Make Antigua and Barbuda into an economic powerhouse.
      I feel sorry for you guys. You have no vision whatsoever.

  4. The impression given was that the UN would foot the entire bill for the concert. Why must every damn thing be politicized. Some of you damn sickening now and I can bet all you naysayers will be at the front of the stage jumping and jamming with Machel and Ashanti. 1 big dutty chupzzz!!!!!

    • You really know how ppl tap fu chu. Same thing with the One Nation concert that was held at ARG.

  5. Just imagine, Antigua and Barbuda in the SPOTLIGHT of the entire world for a whole day. Almost like the old days of Stanford 20/20.

  6. Does any one have the information on how much money was collected on behalf of the hurricane victims from the benefit concert?

    Was any money given to Dominica from the benefit concert?

    When is the accounting due again?

    • @Melchisedec can you tell me how much money did the Barbudans collect for the observer radio thank you gift.., dunce set of people raising million for a radio station but can’t help themselves… wow

  7. So what about our back pay..we a still waiting so we can go enjoy the concert with money that’s over due

  8. So what about our back pay..we a still waiting so we can go enjoy the concert with money that’s over due

Comments are closed.