It is now 17 years since Anguilla’s internationally known entertainer, Bankie Banks, established his popular Moonsplash festival which attracts thousands of people to Anguilla every year in the month of March, thus significantly contributing to the island’s tourist numbers and foreign exchange.

Cable & Wireless and Moonsplash personnel

This year, he is presenting the festival in an even grander fashion and has substantially enlarged his Dune Preserve Retreat at Rendezvous Bay to hold up to 5,000 people not only for this occasion but for the concert of internationally acclaimed singer, song writer and film producer, Jimmy Buffett, on Saturday, March 24, a week ahead of Moonsplash. Up to 3,500 tickets have already been sold outside Anguilla for next weekend’s event and Customs and Immigration personnel on the island, including Bankie himself, are gearing up for the influx of people. The Jimmy Buffett concert is a charity production with the proceeds going to the Tennis Academy, the Stingray Band of young guitar players and the Community Foundation.

In the meantime, Bankie Banx’s Moonsplash festival has just been given a boost by Cable & Wireless of US$23,000 – the same amount donated by the telecommunications company last year. An earlier contribution of US$25,000 had been made by the Government through the Tourist Board. It usually takes up to US$110,000 to put on Moonsplash which includes artistes’ fees and other expenses.

“I am very pleased to once again announce the sponsorship of this year’s Moonsplash,” Sutcliffe Hodge, Chief Executive of Cable & Wireless told a local press briefing on Tuesday this week. “Last year we decided to get involved with the sponsorship to the tune of US$23,000 and since then I think that Bankie, Moonsplash and all those folks associated with it, have all become very fond of each other. This year we are pleased to announce that we will once again be involved in a big way and again will sponsor this event with another US$23,000. We hope that it will be possible for us to increase the amount of sponsorship in the future and we trust that Bankie would see it fit to have Cable & Wireless play a role in the Moonsplash activities.”

Mr. Hodge went on: “While I know the Jimmy Buffett show is separate and apart from it, I have had an opportunity to meet with the organiser and I think that as a result of Bankie’s friendship with him…that a lot of people are likely to stay on to be here for Moonsplash. I think it all augurs well to help with the development of tourism and to put Anguilla more on the stage for being an island where such activities can take place. I am sure that after Jimmy Buffett’s presentation, we are likely to see similar concerts come to Anguilla and that a number of people who would come just for the show are likely to come back as tourists and spend longer vacations… All around, I think that Bankie and Moonsplash are all moving in the right direction.”

Replying, Bankie Bank pointed to the record pioneering work of Cable & Wireless in telecommunications and for being in Anguilla during the hard times. He said the company’s contribution would help to take Moonsplash and the venue to another level.

Bankie took the opportunity to introduce Marvin Connor, an Anguillian whom he met in England, as a member of his team handling the electronics matters of Moonsplash. Mr. Gumbs has established a big electronics business in Slough and now has a company in Anguilla, having moved permanently to the island.

Moonsplash opens on Thursday, March 29 with a cocktail celebrity party Jazz at the Next Level (upstairs English Rose Restaurant) with Jazz pianist Onaje Allan Gumbs in concert; Friday, March 30 with a reggae night. The event will feature Kingayah, the Better Band, Junior Lion of St. Maarten and Bankie Banz and Roots and Herbs.

Saturday, March 31, will be Legends Night. Performers will be Rude Boy Earth Light and Crew; Corey Stoot feturing Omari Banks; Benjy Myaz, Junior Jazz and All Star Band, Buny Wailer and the Solomonic Reggaestra. Moonsplash will culminate on Sunday, April 1, with a beach party featuring traditional Anguillian cuisine, arts and crafts, boat races, a fashion show and music.

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