The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

THE heavily criticised Christmas decorations along West Bay Street and the downtown area cost taxpayers just under $350,000 the Ministry of Tourism confirmed yesterday.

In a statement released after inquiries from The Tribune, the ministry revealed that Florarama beat out two other bidders to secure the contract for its second annual Christmas lights programme with the lowest bid of $334,000.16.

Florarama is owned by former Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Neville Wisdom. He served in the first Christie administration.

The disclosure from the ministry comes nearly a month after The Tribune revealed that Mr Wisdom’s company was awarded the contract. When the story first broke in November, Mr Wisdom and Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe refused to say how much the contract was worth.

The decorations evoked a wide range of reactions from the public, with numerous pictures of them mocked in posts on social media, and calls for public disclosure over the cost.

Many have questioned the quality and aesthetics of the decorations and some of them have fallen down into the road.

For his part, Mr Wisdom said criticism and press attention to the matter is an attack because of his identity as a former Progressive Liberal Party politician.

“All of this is just to get at me,” he said recently.

Mr Wisdom told The Tribune several weeks ago that his family has been in the decorating business for 43 years and he deserves to make a living from it now that he is out of office.

Yesterday, the ministry underscored that the programme’s goal was to generate and enhance the joy of Christmas.

“The celebration of lights follow the concept adopted by many countries to celebrate the yuletide season. Florarama was the lowest of the bidders for this year’s decorations.

“Three quotes were received for the Bay Street, Pompey (Square) and Arawak Cay decorations. Bahamas Fantasies submitted a quote of $585,766.75; Decorations Den submitted a quote of $429,360.00; and Florarama submitted a quote of $334,000.16.”

The statement continued: “The contract was subsequently awarded to Florarama, the lowest bidder. The decision by Florarama to involve a large number of Junkanoo artisans from the various groups, mixing the colours of the season with the traditional lights are aimed at creating a unique Bahamian Christmas celebration.”

“On a daily basis, hundreds of Bahamians and tourists tour the Pompey Square and Arawak Cay purchasing souvenirs and taking photographs, amidst the decorations.”

It added: “As a condition of the contract, decorations used are now the property of the Ministry of Tourism.”

Mr Wisdom, whose Cabinet portfolio included Junkanoo, was embroiled in controversy during his term over a multi-million dollar Junkanoo bleacher contract.