By John Sealy
George Jones, co-founder of the internationally acclaimed soca band Square One, has lauded the just-concluded CARIFESTA XV, giving it a near-perfect score of nine out of ten.
Jones, who has attended five editions of CARIFESTA across the region, said the festival’s multidisciplinary and multi-country scope meant that logistical hiccups were inevitable but did little to detract from the overall experience.
“I will give a nine. This is my fifth CARIFESTA. There is a model on which it is planned,” he said.
“People complain about the number of events that happen on the same day, but remember it is cultural, multidisciplinary and multi-country within a short space of time.”
Despite initial concerns about the tight timeline following Crop Over and some venues still under construction just before the festival, Jones said the organisers pulled it off admirably.
“They managed to do it. My friends from the region said they had a fantastic experience. Kudos to the organisers, it was a massive undertaking.”
Born in Church Village, St Philip, Jones now resides in the Cayman Islands, about 1 500 miles west of Barbados. Reflecting on his journey, he described himself as being in “the third phase” of his life after overcoming two major health battles.
“I have experienced a level of rebirth and, in addition to that, I have remained dedicated to my roots, which are always entertainment and musically based.”
Jones’ cultural journey deepened two decades ago while on vacation in the Cayman Islands. A job ad at Colombian Emeralds caught his eye, and with prior sales experience, he applied and was successful. Soon after, he established himself as a top salesman, a role that, unexpectedly, helped him anchor his life abroad.
Later, after a cancer diagnosis in 2012, Jones transitioned into the Cayman National Cultural Foundation (CNCF) under the guidance of its director, Dr Henry Muttoo. There, he became musical director of Run Down, a satirical theatre production, for 12 years.
“I was also involved in another production called Gimme Story, where I met people like the late Ken Corsbie, Dave Martins from TradeWinds, Jamaican storyteller Dr Amina Blackwood-Meeks and Trinidadian calypso storyteller Lord Relator,” he recalled.
In 2019, Jones served as chief coordinator of the Cayman delegation to CARIFESTA in Trinidad and Tobago – an experience he described as “a massive undertaking” and a stepping stone to other cultural festivals.
“We had a very successful representation . . . . I continued as coordinator for other festivals and programmes within the cultural calendar. The foundation is mandated to produce a number of events annually. Then COVID came and slowed down things and some were shut down. Then the coordinator position came to an end. Muttoo retired along with his wife Marcia.”
Although his later contract as front of house supervisor with the CNCF ended earlier this year, Jones’ commitment to Caribbean culture remains unwavering. Awarded a Silver Star for creativity by the Cayman Cultural Foundation, he now advocates for stronger government and corporate support to help Caribbean creatives break into global markets.
“Creatives need assistance in finance and marketing through agencies such as Export Barbados,” he said. “Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley is very passionate and supportive of the arts. But entrepreneurs must also produce quality work for the global market to win the confidence of the consumer.”
Looking back at Square One’s decades-long success, Jones said the formula has always been belief and dedication.
“Square One has proved that we have the recipe for success, and we still believe in what we did – and what we continue to do today.”
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