The Tribune

By INIGO 'NAUGHTY' ZENICAZELAYA

It’s a brand new year, a clean slate so to speak.

It’s time for The Bahamas to turn over a new leaf, on multiple levels. And pen a positive new chapter for our nation, moving forward.

Here’s 5 things I look forward to in 2018.

1. Government fulfilling campaign promises

i. This administration breaking the cycle, and actually delivering on their campaign promises.

ii. I want to see the much needed FOIA, (after consultation with the nation)

passed in the HOA.

iii. I also want to see, actual “bread basket” items becoe VAT free.

iv. A strong suggestion, if not an “answer” to crime.

v. The “Spy Bill” and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) abandoned, as promised in April and May of 2017, by the FNM on the campaign trail.

1. A pivot toward investing more in Junkanoo (now that we’ve cut the purse strings to Carnival)

I want to see us explode culturally as a nation, with all indigenous art forms flourishing.

I’ve always wondered, why do we invest in imitating another nation’s culture, while neglecting our own?

Junkanoo, definitely needs a renaissance, and an investment of “the Carnival money” by the present government into Junkanoo, would be the catalyst to said renaissance.

For now, the government should at least supply the judges with glasses.

Yes glasses, because they were obviously watching a totally diffefent parade than most of us, at the 2017 Boxing Day Junkanoo Parade!

How Saxons came in third is beyond me.

1. Bahamians taking advantage of technology to educate themselves (hint: there’s more to the internet than Facebook)

I want to see Bahamians issue in the digital era, and with the same ferver they play “numbers”, “candy crush” and instigate Facebook “beef” online.

1. An improvement on the national grade average (even though they won’t tell us what it is anymore)

Last time I heard the “official” national grade it was D.

I want to see an improvement, I mean you can only go up, right?

The improvement I want to see, is not just in the classrooms, but with all the mechanisms that are in place in our educational system, with both the internal and external arms given the tools to succeed.

Because, sadly every weekday afternoon, starting at 3pm, we all can be reminded of how a mind is a terrible thing to waste.

1. Healing

In 2017, a lot of people lost loved ones; some to murder, some to illness. Believe me, I know it takes time but my hope is we will all find peace and begin to heal in 2018.

I know how those of you feel who lost a loved one this past year, regardless of the circumstances, it is a life altering moment.

I lost my beloved mother to cancer on Valentine’s Day 2013 at 5:15am.

(Coincidentally, I’ve woken up at 5:15am ever since she passed away.)

Through the Grace of God, he allowed me to perform onstage that night, allowing me to honor my mothers wishes for me to always finish what I started, and always to the best of my abilities.

That day and night, I learned to trust God’s timing and not question it.

Despite the anguish you are going through, trust in Him without question and you will find peace.