The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

OFFICIALS are expected to meet today to decide whether the Christmas Carnival will be granted approval to operate this holiday season.

However, when asked about the situation, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville told reporters yesterday, “I believe they would be successful. We wait patiently for that report.”

Operators of the holiday fair, Midways by McCafferty Enterprises, submitted all of the necessary applications to a Ministry of Health committee and met the preliminary requirements, he said before heading into Cabinet.

Midways by McCafferty Enterprises announced in a statement on Facebook early last month their plans to return to The Bahamas this Christmas.

“Hello, Nassau. We are coming back to The Bahamas this year for our annual Christmas carnival. We will update you as soon as we have our definite opening date,” the statement said.

At the time, Dr Darville confirmed carnival officials had requested permission from the government to operate.

However, he said in November that his ministry was still reviewing that request to see whether it was “feasible” or not given the potential health risks associated with large public gatherings.

Last year, the Minnis administration decided to not allow the holiday carnival to take place due to the pandemic and potential risk of further spread.

This year’s request to host the annual event comes as daily COVID-19 cases and hospitalisations continue to record low numbers.

However, there is heightened concern about the virus due to the discovery of a new variant, Omicron, which is thought to be much more contagious.

The Bahamas this week-imposed travel restrictions on a number of African countries due to this new development.

Yesterday, there were reports the variant had penetrated the Canadian border with five cases recorded.