FROM LEFT: Visage Band on stage, Sugar performing during the Music Masters contest, Beres Hammond during his show and Bunji Garlin performing. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival concluded its third year with a “bigger and better show,” with event organisers claiming the festival continues to be “an economic stimulus for the cultural sector and source of empowerment” for small businesses.
The three-night festival in Nassau attracted an estimated 28,000 patrons, a 12 per cent increase over last year, with Saturday’s event drawing the largest crowd of 13,000 people, according to a press release.
This comes after the event’s kick off in Grand Bahama last month saw a dismal turnout.
“Staging the event with an all Bahamian team, Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival out performed itself this year with a spectacular show of music, culture and vibes,” noted Bahamas National Festival Commission Chairman Paul Major in the press release.
“I could not be more proud of the show we put on. Our production team promised to amp it up every night, and they delivered. I can confidently say we are well on our way towards fulfilling the mandate handed down to us by the prime minister back in October 2013. His vision has once again proven to be sound,” Mr Major said.
He added: “Last year we started the move towards privatisation aggressively with Road Fever. And with the Road Fever Association taking responsibility for more and more aspects of the event, this year the event continued to grow. This year we continued to push the privatisation objective of the commission by working with a private promoter.”
The government said this year it would cut back on its subsidy for the controversial event.
For the inaugural festival in 2015, the government spent $11.3m, going over its initial budget of $9m, with the total cost of the first carnival $12.9m, with the rest covered by sponsors.
Last year, the total cost was $9.8m with a government subsidy of $8.1m.
In February, Minister of State for Finance Michael Halkitis said the Christie administration had budgeted $5m for Junkanoo Carnival.
Comments
themessenger 7 years ago
We haven't seen the audited accounts, profit/loss,from the first two yet so why should we be excited about public funds being pissed away yet again as a vote buying exercise. Beating up the the gay visitors attending also added lustre to the glitter of fools gold. What! No comment Obie?
shonkai 7 years ago
Ok, let's say it is 10M this year, with 28K visitors still comes down to over $350 per person. High price for a party.
ThisIsOurs 7 years ago
I'm going to bet the person who described this did not pay 25-75 for tickets only to stand in line for two hours and get crushed and pushed just to get inside.the ticketing was a disorganized mess. And the generator blew hallway through the show. But I'm certain if you care nothing about the experience other than that of the elite in the $10,000 tents with catered food, it was perfect.
Privatization is another smoke and mirrors sham. Exactly what does that mean? The real cost of this thing is MARKETING, Song production, staging, lighting and the artist lineup. The road fever is a minute portion of the cost. If the government says they will only match 1/2 the 2015 level of sponsorship for Junkanoo, I will call that "privatization".
TalRussell 7 years ago
Comrades! A Trinidadian staged Kanaval that the rest of the world outside The Bahamland - has yet to get an invite to - performed by Trinidadians imported and paid for over the hiring of local entertainers - all paid for by the PLP Cabinet's picking millions and millions dollars out the pockets of their own people.
The jig should be up on all who decided to hire Trinidadians over they own people!
hallmark 7 years ago
Agreed @TalRussell.
TalRussell 7 years ago
Comrade Hallmark, let's put aside the colors of political party t-shirts long enough to get angry as hell about the lack local 'origin-ality' on stage as the Kanaval's featured acts - which should be utterly dumbfounding to all natives of this land. Any politician that would have stooped so low to have authorized this - is shi# crap in the eyes most of us. How can any native not put aside our political differences to send a message to this PLP cabinet - that on this one - you've pushed the natives patience - too damn far. The natives are on steroids angry!
ThisIsOurs 7 years ago
I don't have any beef with the concert lineup. There were a good number of Bahamians performing. But I'm thinking the only Bahamians who could hold the crowd for an extended set are probably a DMac and a Ronnie Butler, you have to have a loooonnng list of hits to headline, most of the artists have one or two "ok" songs, maybe one hit if they lucky.
DMac performed, wish he was on longer. All Bahamian concerts are not supported, that's the fact, unless there's some other attraction like a boat ride to an out island.
The costuming and accounting are the issues for me.
southernstargazer 7 years ago
so much has been going wrong for this bunch of clowns that they had to come up with some over-sensationalized rating for this dance party. Not surprised.
baldbeardedbahamian 7 years ago
ISN'T PAUL MAJOR IN CHARGE OF THE FINANCES FOR THIS EVENT? DO I NEED TO SAY MORE? READ YOUR HISTORY, PEOPLE., ITS ALL BEEN IN THE NEWSPAPERS OVER THE PAST YEARS RIGHT BACK TO CITIBANK.
ThisIsOurs 7 years ago
Yeah, #handcuffs #leopardanditsspots. Everyone is wondering how they get put in charge of the money. When it doesn't make cents (check the dollars), the only conclusion you can come to is things are set up according to plan. Who for example would put Shane Gibson in charge of cash cow NIB? Or have Sherlyn Hall oversee any voting process, repeatedly? When these chess pieces are positioned and then you hear something like NIB wants to spend millions to purchase a rotting building from cash strapped Finlayson,you have a pretty good guess at who winning, and it een the taxpayers. Christie likes to say no one can pin any dirt on him, but he sure has a knack for propping up a lot of muddy people around him.
hallmark 7 years ago
I can confidently say we are well on our way towards fulfilling the mandate handed down to us by the prime minister back in October 2013. His vision has once again proven to be sound,” Mr Major said. And we are supposed to take Major's word? The devil is a liar! What is so sound about a vision that: 1. headlines foreigners (we believe in Bahamians), 2. encourages females on the streets practically naked in front of children in broad daylight, 3. wastes millions in public funds with nothing to show for it, etc, etc, etc.
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