The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Carnival organisers say they expect a positive turnout for next week’s festivities even after deciding not to seek government sponsorship for extra funding support.

Paul Farquharson III, co-founder of Mas Khaos, said organisers wanted to demonstrate that Carnival could stand on its own as a unified cultural product.

“We wanted to make something that's ours rather than you know rely on government support, although, we're trying to make this is a  Bahamian product, and it does influence locals here, just because we bring in international (people),” he said.

“They enjoy the culture, people are able to benefit from the injection in the economy when they do come, so that's what I would say. But we're not opposed to working along with the government, but we just wanted to make a unified product that is proven and everyone can see that that this is beneficial to The Bahamas.”

The programme lost support after government cut its carnival subsidy by half in 2017 and withdrew funding entirely the following year.

The financial setback has left bands struggling to maintain momentum despite recognition of the event’s economic benefits.

Despite limited funding, organisers remain optimistic.

Mr Farquharson said his band expects attendance to rise from about 80 to 100 in previous years to between 120 and 150 this year.

Overseas participation is also expected to increase to 47 and 50, up from around 35 last year.

Mr Farquharson said one of the key challenges remains re-engaging locals with Bahamas Carnival.

However, others have blamed the pandemic for the decline in support, although many say they remain grateful for strong international backing.

A’Shad Bowe, operations representative for Bahamas Masqueraders, said about 80 per cent of the group’s online sales come from overseas customers.

“We're excited for our product, we have a lot of international persons coming in, places like the UK, Texas, Florida, New York, Canada. We have persons traveling from all over the place to Virgin Islands, so we're excited that the reach of our shoreline is reaching these other places to come and play carnival with us,” Mr Bowe said.

Mr Bowe said there remains a misunderstanding among some people about the nature of carnival and the level of local support it receives.

“The Bahamas Masqueraders events were starting from February straight up until June and all of the events are well attended.”

“Our biggest event was at 1,500 persons so it's not that the carnival is not being supported, it might be an economic thing where persons aren't able to afford costume packages. So we can't say that it's not being supported, because it is being supported throughout the year.”

Meanwhile, Dillion Bethel of JunkaBrations said organisers hope to secure government assistance next year.

Mr Bethel also expressed disappointment over the end of the Music Masters, — a competition for Bahamian soca songs. He said the event was an important part of the carnival experience.

Pressed on whether the competition’s removal affected Carnival locally, he said: “Yes it will and people still asking about it, locals and internationals.”

Carnival week is scheduled for June 3–7 in New Providence.