Taylor: Gospel Festival to promote peace

Chairman of the Gospel Fest Committee Fidel Taylor is hoping that the 2005 Digicel Gospel Fest would send a message of peace throughout the country.

Taylor noted that this is the third year of the event and that songs would be sung to influence people to put down their weapons and change their lifestyles. He said the message of peace, forgiveness and love is crucial to curb violence. {{more}}These messages he said, would come out from the local and regional artistes.

He stressed that Gospel Fest would also rekindle the spirit of praise but expressed concern that music on the radio stations was getting more and more vulgar. The festival chairman noted that he heard a radio announcer said “he was going to desecrate the radio and that he was going to get nasty now.”

He said such statements and the music that followed continue to be played on the airwaves and hype listeners to be violent and intolerant. Taylor said that radio announcers must be responsible because they would be developing a nation of criminals. He said the DJ’s and radio announcers who create this atmosphere will have to run and protect themselves from the very people they helped to create. Taylor said when these media people mess up stuff they expect the Church to clean up things.

The action in Gospel Fest 2005 opened Saturday night at the Arnos Vale Sporting Complex under the theme, “Make His Praise Glorious.” The opening night was moderately attended by a very spirited group of young persons who were entertained by a variety of acts kicked off by a praise performance by Fidel Taylor.

Selection from the festival will be conducted in seven zones across the country in Music, Song, Drama, Poetry, Stand Up Comedy and Dance.

The festival is aimed at promoting and uplifting the standard and the quality of gospel music in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It is quickly becoming one of the regions top festivals because of its uniqueness. While other gospel festivals are just a weekend event with a few top regional and international artistes this country has a month long event. SVG Gospel Festival is being offered as an alternative Festival for those who do not wish to participate in Carnival celebrations.