When one observes the resources and priority given to the National Heritage Festival last March in Nassau, one would naturally expect that Grand Bahama, which boast the nation’s second largest city, Freeport, it is reasonable to expect at a minimum, some token effort would have taken place to facilitate an event of this kind in Grand Bahama. But, sadly, over the years, Grand Bahama has earned the reputation of being a cultural desert where Bahamians do not support or appreciate the efforts of others attempting to promote their Bahamian culture. With not even a single trip abroad so far this year by a Grand Bahama Junkanoo Group, one can understand the lack of enthusiasm.
Since the scandalous New Year’s Day 2003 Parade, morale has never been lower among Grand Bahama Junkanooers. Without explanation or apologies as to why weeks after the parade, scores were changed behind closed doors without other group leaders being present. The Grand Bahama Junkanoo Committee still has a long way to go to re-establish some kind of credibility of integrity with fair-minded and decent people here in the Junkanoo Community.
How can you expect someone who has been “victimized ” by incompetent judging and inadequate accounting system that was so unaccountable to approach the upcoming 2004 parade with any kind of zeal or enthusiasm? Junkanoo morale appears to be at an all time low as persons who felt that they had been treated unfairly last New Years Day . Because of the numerous inconsistencies, omissions, mistakes, etc with the scores, many persons expected Culture Minister Neville Wisdom to utilize his executive veto power to nullify those defective and in most cases incomplete results in the best interest of the culture. But regrettably the concept that the Bahamas somewhere, somehow resembles a nation with Christian values is used as a convenient shield that persons with indecent intent hide behind all too often.
Furthermore, the prize money was not available until May 10th 2003, three months later than the traditional February Junkanoo awards. Clearly there was speculation that during the delay, Minister Wisdom was reconsidering his position on the prize money. Usually by this time, persons have already began planning in the shack, but without resources nothing seems to be happening even though with the upcoming summer holidays and the school children were available to spend time in the shack. The summer Junkanoo program put on by the Ministry of Tourism appears to be the most successful.
Ministry of Tourism officials demanded a more professional performance than in the past. Yet disappointingly despite a number of meetings by the group by some tourism officials, some groups in breach of their contractual obligation came out in such shabby condition that tourism officials had no choice other than to penalize such groups.
In addition, someone had come up with the dumb idea that the winning group of the 2003 New Years Parade, the Classic Dancers, be given priority at performing at Ministry of Tourism functions. This was obviously a mistake as the group demonstrated that they had no intentions of following through.
As they stood up, the Ministry of Tourism on a number of occasions, including the Independence celebration night July 8th with indications that ” they had better things to do.”
Finally, on a sad note, it is a tremendous disappointment that the informative and educational Saturday morning call-in show “Junkanoo Talks,” hosted by Jackson Burnside and Arlene Nash Ferguson is no longer been heard on Grand Bahama’s ZNS 810. This is a complete disgrace and a disservice to the Grand Bahama Junkanoo community. “Junkanoo Talks” is a show that keeps us abreast of what is happening to the Junkanoo world both locally and abroad. With the constant updates of events and changing rules, it is absolutely vital that everyone receives this information on a timely basis.
Failure to do so could result in another disastrous fiasco, as was the parade in New Year’s Day 2003. I am calling on Culture Minister, the Honorable Neville Wisdom and the Minister responsible for Broadcasting, the Honorable Obie Wilchombe, both of whom I am aware are keen supporters of Junkanoo Culture to immediately utilize whatever authority they possess to immediately restore this program in order for Grand Bahamian Junkanooers could once again participate in the development of our National Culture.
Dr. Leatendore Percentie
Freeport, Bahamas
