ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC) — The government has approved EC$1.7 million for the stating of the 20th edition of the World Creole Music Festival.

At the recent launch of the festival, Tourism Minister Robert Tonge said the decision to maintain the increased subvention is in keeping with the Ministry of Tourism and Urban Renewal’s plan to maintain a high standard of the festival.

Tonge said the collection of Value Added Tax (VAT) increases dramatically during the World Creole Music Festival, which indicates that, the activity “truly impacts” on the economy and “trickles down to the ordinary man”.

It is within this context that government “significantly increased” its investment in festival.

“Last year it was increased by a million dollars, the total subvention by the government was 1.7 million dollars. Again, the government has again seen the impact and the relevance of this event and has continued to support the same amount,” Tonge said.

The tourism minister noted that this is part of government’s overall investment in the tourism sector to include destination marketing, product development and site enhancement.

The festival, he said, is about ensuring that the event lives up to its reputation as most indigenous music festivals in the Caribbean reflecting our Creole heritage and incorporating various elements of a music culture that represents our common humanity.

The festival, which was inaugurated in 1997, celebrates French-Caribbean genres including Dominica’s indigenous cadence-lypso and bouyon, Zouk from neighboring Guadeloupe and Martinique and Haitian Kompa.