ALTHOUGH millions of dollars were reportedly lost in the hosting of the Plymouth Jazz Festival, the second of which came off successfully last weekend in rural Tobago, sources close to the organisers told TnT Mirror that within five years, they expect to reap rich dividends from their long-term investment.

“Organisers are working with a plan,” the source disclosed, “and with international artistes like Stevie Wonder, who has endorsed the festival and is now considered its patron, they are well on the way.

“In 10 years time this festival will be hard to beat.

“Tobago will be the place to be …”

CL Communications, in conjunction with the La Roda Brothers, staged Plymouth Jazz Festival 2006.

The show featured top international acts like Sting, who visited for the first time, Diddy, Patti La Belle, Vanessa Williams, Natalie Cole, Najee, Doug E Fresh, Johnny Gill, and Barrington Levy.

Also visiting the island for the three-day festival were actress Gabrielle Union, comedians Chris Tucker and Anthony Anderson ... among others.

Local entertainers included Roy Cape, Destra Garcia with Atlantik, Machel Montano with Xtatik and Shurwayne Winchester with Traffik.

It was also revealed to Mirror that it was blind singer Stevie Wonder who was able to influence Sting’s presence in Tobago.

“To convince Sting to perform here is not quite easy,” she went on.

“Only a friend could do that and Stevie and Sting are close friends.”

According to the source, the camaraderie that exists between the core of top entertainers who made the trip here has made the job of the organisers a lot easier.

“Imagine Diddy and Chris Tucker came,” she added.

“Just like Stevie Wonder, Doug E Fresh is also a main player in the team.

“They love the festival and are really pushing to make it the premiere festival in the Caribbean.

“We want cruise ships to come here especially for the Jazz Festival; that’s what it is all about and we know it will happen. Organisers are prepared to lose at this point in time …”

Each foreign act came with a large entourage.

Mirror was told that they enjoyed all that was offered to them over the weekend.

Stevie Wonder admitted to having his first taste of rum punch and loved every drop of it.

“The stars just loved Tobago,” she ended.