“Melanie is really excited that she was given the opportunity to come back home and spend time with her friends, family and fans.

This has been one of her desires since preforming on X Factor USA and she will now be able to show her appreciation at the upcoming Music Festival,” said Melanie’s Mother, Debra Amaro.

The young musical sensation Melanie Amaro will be returning to the sandy shores of the British Virgin Islands for the first time since her debut on the hit musical competition, X Factor USA. Ms. Amaro will be one of the headliners for Sunday night’s music festival event, along with English Grammy Award winning R&B singer Estelle and Forever Motown.

“We are honoured that Melanie Amaro has taken time out of her busy schedule to return to the BVI and perform for us. She is a great ambassador for the BVI and we are honored to have her as a part of our 2012 lineup,” said Rhondi Skelton, Music Fest Committee Event Coordinator.

Miss Amaro took the world by storm in 2011 with her captivating performance at one of America’s newest musical competitions, X Factor USA. She received a $5 million dollar recording contract with Epic Records and will be releasing her first album this year.

Darryll Bess of Bayroc Clothing (left) and Kristin Frazer of Trefle.

Three local designers will share the spotlight with international designers, models and celebrity guests during Back to Business mix down event hosted by international actress and supermodel, Lisa Raye on St. John on Memorial weekend.

Kristin Frazer of Trefle, Helene Wheatley of Envy BVI and Darryll Bess of Bayroc Clothing will showcase their creativity during the fashion show which will be held at the Westin, St. John on May 26.

Frazer said that for this show, she will be showcasing swimwear and for the first time she will present a full feature on resort wear collection shown on the runway. She plans to showcase about 16 pieces over two showings during the fashion segment.

“It’s a good feeling; to be contacted by anyone to do any show abroad is a good feeling. At first when I was starting out I had to approach people, but now I am a little more out there people are coming to me which is a very good feeling and I get to be an ambassador for the BVI, which is something that I always wanted to do as well,” Frazer told BVI Platinum News.

She said that her plan is to keep the spring theme with vibrant colours and bold designs.

“Keeping with the trends, the colours for spring are very vibrant and the prints are very exotic, so I am trying to bring bold prints, bold colours, while keeping the designs simple, but complex and hope that everybody will like what they see. I have been doing resort for some time; I have shown a couple of pieces here and there, but never a full collection of eight pieces. The transition was pretty easy because I have been designing it for some time,” Frazer stated.

Bess is also very excited about the show because it’s his first, although he has been designing since 2007. The Cane Garden Bay resident told BVI Platinum News that he plans to showcase about 16 pieces portraying urban wear mostly for young men.

“I am excited about it and this being my first show, I will try to observe everything that is happening. When I started out I wanted to do architecture and then one thing led to another. I think this will be launching pad for me. I entered the show to see how it will be because in the future, I plan to do other shows locally and overseas. I haven’t really done much clothes for women, but I all be featuring some simple dresses,” Bess stated.

For more information about the show, visit www.b2bmixdown.com. Frazer is encouraging residents of the BVI to attend the show. Source: BVI Platinum

This week one lucky teacher won an all- expense paid, seven-night trip to visit Bitter End Yacht Club on the hit American daytime show “LIVE! with Kelly”, which aired on Thursday, 17 May 2012.
“LIVE! with Kelly” – a vibrant, syndicated morning talk show hosted by former actress and famed personality Kelly Ripa – has beenhonouring a different schoolteacher each day in their third annual Top Teacher Week broadcasted from May 14 to May 18.

As kids across the country start looking forward to their summer breaks, “LIVE” takes a week to salute the mentors that guide their studentsto success every day – teachers who make a difference in and out of the classroom, who make their students’ lives better, the schoolbetter, or even those who go over and above to serve their community as a whole.

Bryan Sawyer, a 2nd and 3rd grade special education teacher from Clifton Park, New York, was selected as a semi-finalist fromthousands of entries, and “LIVE’s” viewers voted for him to be one of the five finalists to be honoured on the show.

In Thursday’sepisode, Sawyer was presented with an eight-day getaway sponsored by the BVI Tourist Board and the Bitter End Yacht Club forhimself and one guest to enjoy a number of amenities through the resort’s “Admirals Vacation” package, which includes beachfrontcottage accommodations, water and land excursions, sunset sails, and meals and activities.
“It is our pleasure to participate in LIVE! with Kelly’s “Top Teacher Week,” said Dana Hokin, owner of Bitter End Yacht Club.“Education is an important part of our mission at Bitter End and so we are very happy to be a part of this celebration for someone sodeserving.

In 2011, Bitter End adopted local Robinson O’Neal Memorial Primary School as part  of the  BVI’s Adopt-A-School programme,  furthering  our  commitment  to  the  local community and the education of our youth. We’re thrilled our resort and thedestination were able to give back to someone else making a difference in the lives of children.”

This is why I see the linkages between discrimination based on nationality, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, etc.

This is something that our own Virgin Islands Constitution Order, 2007, recognizes, as it precludes discrimination on the basis of these factors. It has been commonplace historically that what we as human beings do not know, what we fear, is what we hate. This has been repeated: against the native people of these Americas, against Black Africans that were enslaved, against women who did not “keep their place,” and the list goes on…

When I read the last VINO article, I felt two things: 1. A certain sense of pride, that this issue was being (relatively) seriously discussed in these Virgin Islands, and indeed around the world, and credit is due to the courageous actions of President Obama in speaking his personal truth on this matter; and 2. A deep feeling of disappointment, both by the level of dialogue on this matter and by many of the hateful comments that followed the article.

I took issue with two things in particular from the article itself: 1. the mention of homosexuality as being a “social ill” in the same tone as sexual abuse, child abuse and molestation. While I understand that the interviewee was commenting on the need for the Church to speak out on social ills, I think it is dangerous to equate the social ills of sexual abuse, child abuse and molestation which clearly indicate violence and violation, to consensual romantic and/or sexual relationships between adults. I rest on the principle of consent for sex. And when I say consent, I mean adult consent. There is a legal consideration of “age of consent” whereby children are not able to consent to sexual activities due to their perceived lack of maturity, etc.

The second issue I took with the article has to do with this notion of being on the downlow “DL” coming from being unhappy in a heterosexual relationship. Relationships differ. Whether a relationship is heterosexual or homosexual, it can be happy or it can be miserable.  While I agree that homophobia and hatred of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people has undoubtedly led to people living closeted lives and indeed to many gay/bisexual men and women maintaining a front in heterosexual relationships, I also think that we all have a responsibility to be honest in our lives. This does not mean that you must announce to everybody you meet what happens in your bedroom. Rather, I think that we must not knowingly deceive people. Dishonesty and deceit cause hurt and pain, whether from a man to a woman, a woman to a man; or from a man to another man and a woman to another woman.

Finally, I am aware that while our Constitution provides for equal treatment under the law and non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, this has not been tested, as far as I am aware. I look forward to the day when the words written in our Constitution are rigorously tested and applied, in terms of marriage, as well as employment and a whole host of other areas where discrimination is prevalent in these Virgin Islands. I also eagerly await the day when we as residents of the Virgin Islands, who have ourselves overcome (and still fight) battles in which hatred and bigotry has been doled out against us, will cease to dole out hatred and bigotry on one another, but rather will accept our differences and act together to improve our lives.

Thanks for reading.

Bossman (left) and Ritical.

The Great VI Music Alliance, a group formed specifically to aid local entertainers in gaining respect and appreciation from the Virgin Islands, met with the VI Festivals and Fairs Executive Committee where they raised several issues over the unfair treatment that local performers receive in relation to their performance and pay for festivals over the years.

President of the newly formed group and lead singer of Showtime Band, Eustace ‘Boss’ Freeman, raised several issues to the committee’s attention, issues such as local artists performing too early and many times in front of empty audiences, local artists being paid too cheaply and being forced to accept it and local artists at times feel as though they are being pitted against one another.

Freeman stated that under his leadership, to assist in better promoting the local artists in the Virgin Islands (VI), the group will be meeting with various radio stations in an effort to encourage them to ‘push’ the local and cultural music above other forms of music, especially during the festival season.

The President of the Alliance asked the members of the Festival & Fairs Committee to assist the group in better promoting the local artists. “The organisation will be trying to raise the levels of all artists under the organisation’s umbrella.”

Jason ‘Ritical’ Frett, Vice president of the organisation whose mission is representing and aiding in the development, evolution and promotion of local musicians, artist and entertainers, while fostering the development of artistically inclined individuals, stated that music is a product that the Virgin Islands can sell. “We are talented and can help to bring revenue into the Territory.”