Ticket holders for the cancelled Jazzfest began receiving their refunds yesterday. The Music Box owner Eddie de Mello told The Royal Gazette that he started giving the refunds late yesterday afternoon after receiving funds from New York based promoters of the show, Track Entertainment.

The Music Box estimates that they sold about 900 of the tickets. Lee Heiman, promoter for Track Entertainment, cancelled the show which was to have taken place last weekend because the performers could not get to the Island in the wake of an air travel shutdown after the terror attacks in New York and Washington D.C.

Mr. de Mello said that refund cash may run out today, but he was hoping to get another infusion from Track Entertainment by Monday.

The other vendor, 27th Century Boutique, will start issuing refunds on Monday, according to a spokesperson at Government Information Services.

According to Mr. de Mello, the Tourism Department which sponsors the event to the tune of $250,000, has been less than helpful.

"I am not happy with the Department of Tourism," he said. "I don't want to talk to them - they have been very uncooperative."

As a Jazzfest ticket vendor, Mr. de Mello has been besieged by ticket holders demanding refunds. Lee Heiman returned to New York City in the wake of the September 11 attacks after controversy involving local crews and Immigration authorities, and some questioned whether the refunds would actually take place.

But Mr. Heiman reassured the public Thursday that he was taking steps to make sure the ticket holders get 100 per cent reimbursements within a week.

Yesterday, Mr. de Mello said that Mr. Heiman was sticking to his word. "He's okay - he's the one sending me the money," he said, still fuming at the Department of Tourism.