The Tribune

ALTHOUGH the g-string clad beauties who come with the controversial Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival, did not shock PLP chairman Bradley Roberts, the remarks of the eye-brow raising president of the Bahamas Christian Council certainly did.

Rev Ranford Patterson found the costumes – if a g-string and a transparent net for breast coverings could be classified as a ‘“costume” — “immodest”. He predicted that the scant attire could lead to “fornication, promiscuity, rape, incest” and other “sins of the flesh.” Oh, no, Lord forbid, exclaimed a shocked PLP chairman.

Mr Roberts could not grasp the moral harm that such a carnival could possibly do to the youth of an already morally depraved society. All he could see were the green back $ signs. For him, Junkanoo Carnival could only strengthen the commercial component of Bahamian Junkanoo. According to Mr Roberts it would diversify the tourism product and expand opportunities for Bahamians in the cultural community.

“Is President Patterson suggesting,” asked Mr Roberts, “that other similar cultural festivals celebrated in many countries in this region and around the world for literally centuries are the cause for the instances of rape, incest and sexual immorality occurring in those countries?”

Well it might surprise Mr Roberts to know that Brazil – one of the Caribbean’s leading carnival centres – certainly thinks so. On Tuesday, Brazil announced to the world that it planned to give away three million free condoms to its Carnival revellers.

“Revellers in Brazil’s most famous city will enjoy more than just sun, live music and dancing when Carnival festivities start this week,” said a news report from that country. “Rio de Janeiro state officials are also giving away 3 million free condoms…

“The new government initiative,” it continued, “aims to stop the spread of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases during the five-day event, the state health department said.

“In addition to condoms, health officials also plan to hand out 330,000 paper fans with catchy slogans against STDs, 55,000 small bags party-goers can use to carry condoms and more than 160,000 informational pamphlets to crowds at samba dance performances and block parties during the legendary annual celebration…” And so the report continued as it described how HIV testing, condoms and information will be available at every event.

Yes, Brazil, with probably one of the world’s best known carnivals, has its social problems, which apparently Mr Roberts refuses to even contemplate as possible in the Bahamas whose youth are already out of hand.

To the question as to whether Carnival was just a mask for Rio’s social problems, the answer by some Rio residents was “yes”, pointing out that among other things “during Carnival authorities give out millions of condoms, but AIDS rates in Brazil are among the world’s highest”. It was also alleged that drug traffickers are linked to samba schools, and that a stray bullet killed a 14-year-old girl at a recent practice session for this year’s Carnival. However, there were those who said that although Carnival doesn’t pretend to disguise Rio’s social problems, it provided locals with a creative outlet.

Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller was loud in his protest. He did not think this country should import “garbage” to further contaminate our youth.

“I have my own grave reservations,” he said, “as to whether this is in the best interest of our country, realising that the young people in this country are totally out of line morally.”

He recounted his experience when as Minister of Trade and Industry in the first Christie government he attended a meeting in Trinidad. While there, he said, he went to Trinidad’s famous carnival.

“I saw a lot of vulgarity,” he recalled, “people were, I don’t want to say hitting on each other, but it was almost a sexual situation in broad daylight.”

He made it clear that he had no appetite for the festival’s sexually charged nature.

It was now Prime Minister Christie’s turn to be shocked. He wondered if any of the critics had attended Bay Street’s junkanoo to see that some of the girls already wore “carnival costumes” — in other words they were more naked than clothed. He said he had regularly seen vulgar acts on display in Bay Street’s parades.

We must admit that we are not a junkanoo enthusiast. However, about six years ago we had visitors in town who wanted to go to a junkanoo parade. Among the revellers on that occasion there was a group of young girls, wearing skirts that barely covered their hips. They were talented dancers, but all around us Bahamians of varying ages were grumbling. They were critical of the organisers for encouraging such brazen immodesty in girls so young.

Because Mr Christie has seen vulgar acts during the local parades is no excuse to ratchet it up to an even higher degree of immorality. He should have condemned it at the time, instead of using it to justify its expansion to attract more tourists. Too many people today fail to understand that two wrongs don’t make a right. In other words, the repetition of a wrong does not make it right.

While applauding the government for seeking ways to boost revenue, Rev Patterson said it appeared that Bahamian women’s sexuality is “being overly exploited for monetary gain.” We agree with him.

The Christian Council leader also pointed out that in the current atmosphere of promoting gender equality, the carnival commission should not display women as “mere objects of lust”.

Many women don’t seem to understand that because they don’t respect their own bodies, tragedy often results.

Mr Christie, although he welcomed Mr Miller’s opinion, felt that he should have talked to him personally about it so that he could have explained his own views. We don’t think that Mr Christie’s views would have impressed Mr Miller. Unfortunately, Mr Christie likes too many behind-closed-doors conversations.

Because of the moral problems in today’s society this is one conversation that should become a public debate.