PM announces commission to create new festival

As of Thursday, October 31, 2013

Prime Minister Perry Christie

PRIME Minister Perry Christie yesterday announced the formation of a National Festival Commission, charged with the conceptualisation of the new “Carnival-style” festival.

Set to create widespread economic opportunities for the cultural industry, the body has around 18 months to organize the week-long event projected to rival world-renowned festivals such as Trinidad’s Carnival, and Canada’s Caribana.

The commission is chaired by Paul Major, with veteran educator and cultural enthusiast Arlene Nash Ferguson as Chief Administrator of the Festival Commission Secretariat.

Veteran Junkanooers Winston Cooper, Percy Francis, Arthur Gibson, Leslie Johnson, and Chris Justilien will provide technical resources, Mr Christie said.

Other members include:

• Calvin Balfour, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture;

• Simon Wilson, Deputy Financial Secretary in the Ministry of Finance;

• Brandace Duncanson, Office of the Attorney General;

• Nicola Simmons and Reagan Collie, Ministry of Tourism;

• Robert Sands, Baha Mar vice-president;

• Ed Fields, Kerzner International vice-president;

• Anthony Ferguson, publisher;

• Chester Cooper;

• Felix Stubbs;

• Fred Munnings Jr;

• Dr Barry Russell;

• Max Gibson;

• Patricia Mortimer;

• Obie Pindling;

• Inga Bowleg;

• Muna Issa;

• Cameron Symonette;

• Jaime Dingman;

• Antonius Roberts, sculptor;

• and Shanae Strachan.

blackcat 11 years ago

I guess Perry Christie isn't too tired to put on a festival. Looks like the only time we hear from this great leader of our country is when it's time to throw party.

Wow,something to rival Carnival ? Sorry, I can't see it. Carnival and caribana are huge caribbean events and while they are great, I can't see this being a pressing issue to focus on during these tough times. We all like to party and the bahamas has great culture to promote, but I neither think this is the time nor do we have the financial resources to spend on something like this. The government is crying everyday about the lack of funds that they have but they have time to plan something like this?!

crime is out of control, our economy is down and on the verge of being severely taxed, our national grade average is, what, E? and we throwing party.

banker 11 years ago

Christie festivaling while Nassau burns? Exactly what the country needs - a new festival and paying for festival commissioners. The rapture is really coming.

jt 11 years ago

Every day I think that the Bahamas govt. can't get any dumber, and every day they outdo themselves. First the idea to dredge across Bimini's dive sites for a completely ludicrous cruise scheme and now this. Does Christie know we already have an incredible, unique and culturally relevant festival twice each winter? Why are we copycatting other nations? Aren't there more important things to focus on right now?

jt 11 years ago

National Festival Commission? Unemployment among the young is at 30%. I can't even.

hj 11 years ago

Bahamians get the government they deserve. Things are going downhill,and all they are being offered is another festival. But then again,if any political candidate were to talk about hard work for sure he would not be elected. People would vote for someone who offers free rum,chicken in the bag and a phone card..

Ocaba 11 years ago

What a waste!! Speechless!

banker 11 years ago

And Peter Nygard is writing the stem cell legislation.

hj 11 years ago

@ banker........maybe he will write the VAT legislation too

john33xyz 11 years ago

Sorry, that has already been written by the WTF, IDB, and other international "lenders" who suckered us into borrowing hundreds of millions - and now we are their lapdogs. They simply have not e-mailed the pdf file to the Cabinet yet for presentation in the House.

BoopaDoop 11 years ago

Very funny and.....Amen

B_I_D___ 11 years ago

...I hear they are actually in full construction mode on our presidential party house...errr I mean palace.

concernedcitizen 11 years ago

IF this crap flies and die hard supporters go around parroting it ,it speaks volumes about the intellect of the electorate ..

john33xyz 11 years ago

Wow, and I was starting to think Government wasn't doing anything. I see I was wrong. LOL.

John 11 years ago

One would think that they would start off by doing some ;local music and entertainment downtown (after the stores close, or even have extended store hours, on the night that the most cruise ships are in. Bay Street can be closed to traffic, and have chairs and tables set up for outdoor dining, the police band. local artist and artisans can display their works for sale and finish with a junkanoo rush. So you improve on and increase the presentation of things that are popular with the tourist.Then grow it into an event that is put on annually where it is of a larger scale and can draw the numbers to make it successful. The weekly or biweekly events should be more of a walk about, dining affair, rather than a rush out that draws large crowds but tourists do not get to spend any money. The booze and cruise and ferry boats can be used to taxi persons from Paradise Island and even offer cruises around the harbor after the event. Remember tourists aint coming here to hear about our problems, or worry about them. they want to party, to be entertained, to have fun and have some experience to take back home.

john33xyz 11 years ago

Man you will be lucky if they don't cancel your passport for talk like that. You trying to make us successful, eh? Shame on you !!! LOL.

Greentea 11 years ago

I would like to think that at least one of these twenty-seven people had the courage to tell the prime minister that this was and is a terrible idea. I would like to think that many of them would have declined the nomination, but alas everyone is for sale and will ride a dumb horse until it's dead. Didn't the PM hear the chorus of people saying this was a bad idea when he first announced it? One more example of a complete lack of knowledge and vision. A waste of resources and a lack of value for what we do have. Carnival didn't emerge overnight as a marketing gimmick. It's a part of the deep history and culture of a place five times larger population wise and with a larger diaspora to build on. What a bankrupt leadership. Desperation exposes all. Deaf, dumb and blind.

jt 11 years ago

Our Junkanoo is already taking steps (feathers, glitter, sequins) to mirror these other festivals. Do we need another to blur the lines and rob the Bahamas of the only thing we can call our own? Please, I welcome angry additions to what tourists could perceive as truly Bahamian...

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