The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Perry Christie yesterday suggested that Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival will be a fixture on the country’s yearly calendar of activities, despite the backlash it has attracted.

He said the festival will increase the country’s revenue.

Defending the government’s decision to hold the festival, Mr Christie pointed to the latest youth unemployment statistics. He said Junkanoo Carnival would give thousands of young Bahamians the opportunity to earn a living doing something they enjoy.

According to the latest labour force statistics, youths between the ages of 15 to 24 continue to face a considerably higher rate of unemployment than any other group.

This group’s unemployment rate stands at 31 per cent, an increase of three per cent from the previous survey.

While speaking to an audience gathered at the inaugural Royal Fidelity Bahamas Economic Outlook, Mr Christie said it was long overdue to package the country’s culture as a commercial product.

“We aim to attract more visitors and improve their Bahamas experience while delivering better gains in the generation and collection of taxes,” he said.

“It puts thousands of Bahamians in a position to begin to earn a living from something they enjoy and simply for the love of doing it.

“I expect that the upcoming Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival and all those that will come beyond will get significant economic returns and position the Bahamas in a strong competitive position relative to other such regional festivals.

“We have to find the formula to make culture pay.”

This is the second time in less than a week that Mr Christie has shot back at critics of Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival.

Last Thursday, Mr Christie passionately defended the inaugural festival. At the time he also criticised Progressive Liberal Party MP Leslie Miller who called the festival “garbage” that mimicked other countries’ culture.

Last Wednesday Mr Miller further suggested Carnival could have a negative impact on youth by being sexually suggestive. He said he had “no appetite” for the festival’s sexually charged nature.

When Mr Christie responded to Mr Miller, he pinpointed the involvement of the Tall Pines MP’s daughters with the Carnival group, Enigma.

Said Mr Christie last week: “The first people who spoke to me when I walked into this room with hundreds of people gathered together for Junkanoo Carnival was Leslie Miller’s two daughters.”

He added: “When I go to Bay Street now and I looked at the girls last Christmas and this Christmas, I said ‘Lord, they got Carnival costumes on. I don’t know if you people go to Junkanoo, I don’t even know if Leslie Miller goes to Junkanoo.”

Last Friday, Mr Miller apologised for his comments and said he was speaking in “ignorance”.

Organisers of the controversial event have spent less than $2m of the $9m budget so far.

To date, officials used $1.5m, with a total of 214 small and medium-sized local entities for an estimate GDP impact of about $7m, confirmed Paul Major, chairman of the Carnival Commission.

Junkanoo Carnival will be launched in Grand Bahama on April 6 and continue from May 7-9 in New Providence.