The Tribune

By ADRIAN GIBSON

ajbahama@hotmail.com

In April, it was revealed by Bahamas National Festival Commission Chairman Paul Major that the government would spend $7m to host this year’s Junkanoo Carnival.

It was also publicised that international artists Destra, Wyclef Jean and Tarrus Riley, among others, had been contracted to perform in the festival. The artists, we were told, were paid at their international market rate: about $30,000 for Destra, a Trinidadian soca singer, and about $70,000 for Wyclef Jean, a Haitian-born Grammy-award winning artist.

At the time, I wrote: “I have spoken to friends in the music industry. I once dabbled in promotion and event organisation, from boat cruises to other events. I highly doubt that Destra’s market value is $30,000. It’s more around $8,000. Moreover, Wyclef has not had a hit song in a few years. He has fallen off the music scene. I would like the Commission to produce evidence of other venues where Wyclef - in recent time - earned $70,000. Frankly, $25,000 would have been a good pay day for him.”

Not long before that, Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe - whose ministry has charge of the Carnival - was reported as estimating that the fete would cost about $3m.

To date, we have no idea how another $4m was added to that figure, nor have we received an itemised list of expenses and payments.

Weeks after the official Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival economic and revenue report was completed, Mr Wilchcombe and Mr Major were at odds over who should release the information to the media.

In one instance, Mr Wilchcombe told The Tribune that the BNFC had already briefed Prime Minister Perry Christie on the report and said BNFC officials were still putting the finishing touches on their presentation to the media.

Mr Wilchcombe reportedly told The Nassau Guardian that the report would likely be released by the BNFC on September 1. When contacted on the purported release date, Mr Major told The Tribune that it was the “government’s responsibility”, not his, to reveal the findings. Major asserted that “the report is done but it is the government’s report and they have to release it.

He said: “They are the principals, it is their carnival and it is their report to speak about.”

So, looking at the comments of Wilchcombe and Major, one can make an assessment and decide who they believe for themselves.

That said, the buck stops with Mr Wilchcombe. He is the minister with oversight and he owes taxpayers an accounting for the monies spent. We want to know now!

There is no pointing fingers and played out “sweet mouth Willie” moments about there being “so much involved” or ensuring that “all the t’s are crossed and i’s dotted” that we are remotely interested in believing. We can already conclude that the Carnival was a flop. However, we need to see the numbers; we want the cold, hard facts. We are tired of lame excuses.

Mr Wilchcombe, like others in the Christie Cabinet, is demonstrating a condescension, contempt and lack of accountability that Bahamians have come to abhor.

Is the government cooking the numbers? Given that we are in election season, is a more politically palatable report being prepared? What is the reason for delay?

This is demonstrative of why we desperately need a Freedom of Information Act.

Comments and responses to ajbahama@hotmail.com