By LEANDRA ROLLE
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture has removed the widely mocked decorations on the national Christmas tree and replaced them with more traditional décor.
Culture Director Rowena Poitier-Sutherland said yesterday that the ministry decided to listen “to the Bahamian public” and change the Christmas tree décor in an effort to get more Bahamians in the holiday spirit. “We were (initially) trying to do a spectacular light show within the tree and we used those particular colours so the light could be reflected and the idea was to capture the feeling of old Nassau when people would drive around and look at lights,” she said in an interview with The Tribune yesterday.
“But, we got the negative feedback. The Bahamian public is the client and we believe that we should listen to Bahamians if they vocalise something, then it’s our responsibility to listen toward that and the response was overwhelming.
“We actually did a poll and it said that they wanted a traditional Christmas and that those colours were not representative of Christmas and so we listened, and the company adjusted (the decorations) accordingly.”
The criticised decorations evoked a wide range of reactions from the public, who posted complaints on social media after images of the Christmas tree at Rawson Square surfaced online on Wednesday.
When asked to comment on the uproar on Wednesday, Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Lanisha Rolle said the Christmas tree was still “under construction,” urging the public to hold off their conclusions until all the decorations had been completed.
The Tribune understands that it was not long after she made the remarks that the ministry decided to change the Christmas tree decorations altogether. While canvassing the downtown area yesterday to get the public’s reaction to the new Christmas tree, many praised the new ornaments, noting that it was a step in the right direction.
Charles Miller told this newspaper: “I’m happy that they changed it. They moved it right away so that was very nice. They responded to the public embarrassment about it. I felt embarrassed about it because someone could’ve told them that from the beginning, it’s a Christmas tree. Not a brochure we’re putting up.”
Quincy Pratt added: “Yesterday (Wednesday), the decorations were unbelievable. It just wasn’t for Christmas, I thought it was something for Easter. But when I came out here this morning, I was very impressed. I feel the Christmas spirit now so hats off to whoever did it.”
Comments
TalRussell 4 years, 4 months ago
Yeah, no. Granted that whilst the PLP's Christmas Wrap around coconut trees, were seen by PopoulacesOrdinary as being ungodly terrible - I don't recall the PLP minister, showing up during the late hours the night to personally remove the lights and decorations they had hung and placed - from the Christmas Tree? You can't make this ministerial need to do a complete lights and decorations makeover on Christmas Tree up, you just, can't. Do we dare asks, exactly how much will the government be spending directly/indirectly colony-wide on all Christmas trees and decorations, plus labour, etc, etc? Since when did decorating a Christmas tree become a cultural expression - thought the ministry works were charged with responsibility hungs lights and decorations?
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