The Tribune

THE government will extend the holiday Junkanoo parade this year to unveil "12 days of Christmas", Minister of Youth Sports and Culture Danny Johnson said yesterday.

This year end marks the 25th anniversary of the junior Junkanoo parade, according to Dr Johnson, who said that the nation has abandoned its core culture.

"We haven't had Junkanoo awards for four years, the parades are done," he said.

"We used to have an awards banquet for performers. It's not about money sometimes, it's just a thing of saying thanks that was good, that's all. We get these guys together for this and we can't pay them to do it.

Dr Johnson said: "Up in Freeport, they haven't even declared the winner of the New Year's Junkanoo Parade. It's June, we have abandoned the core of our culture."

In its Charter for Governance, the Progressive Liberal Party stated it would introduce several initiatives to create more opportunities for arts and culture in the Bahamas.

Speaking on Island FM's talk radio show "Parliament Street", Dr Johnson added that the festival line-up could feature a Family Island day.

"This will be the unveiling of the 12 days of Christmas. It will be the 25th anniversary of junior Junkanoo, so there will be two or three days of junior Junkanoo," he said.

He also pledged to resume the Bahamas Games and host CARIFESTA, the Caribbean arts festival, during his five-year term.

Dr Johnson could not be reached for comment yesterday.