The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

July 10th, 2023 will be our 50th anniversary of Independence — certainly we should celebrate and celebrate but let’s use some sense and purpose.

The announcement that it is the intent of government to sign a long term agreement with the IAAF for the staging of the World relays is firstly costly and secondly the times we had it here very, very, little economic benefit... the stadium was empty as was the Japan stadium the year we cancelled... so why commit $1m plus? No, PM, No to IAAF relays.

A 50th anniversary should be primarily a celebration of US, the people... the past, pre-Independence we must remember all aspects of that political era - the good, the bad and the changes. Since that first day of being sovereign unto ourselves - July 10th, 1973, and beyond – it is, or should be a personal private self celebration — if visitors want to visit, all well and good, but the celebration should be US.

Mention over week-end PM wants CARIFTA who ironically will also be celebrating their 50th anniversary — purely as a celebration of the youth of the Caribbean in Sport, I accept but the stadium here for the past games and this weekend in Jamaica empty so outgoing costs and little coming in although guaranteed a large contingent from Jamaica as usual.

Celebration of US has to include Junkanoo, but don’t try to spin that to attract tourists as this past Christmas and New Years finally proved to all that Junkanoo does not attract visitors... If there is one uniting expression it is to gather the ‘000’s who love to parade.

Carnival – Hell no, PM, especially not on the scale of your predecessor Christie and that waste of $10m which we are still trying to find where it went... Junkanoo in June-July, okay, but no uncontrolled gussie-mae carnival.

Organisers, remember there is alternative culture to The Bahamas other than the sole perceived junkanoo... heritage attracts heritage is exceptionally fundamental and culture did not start on January 10th,1967 we had plenty of it pre-1967.

On the night of July 9th on Clifford Park do we really need an hour plus religious service? Yes, we must say thank you, God, but that can be said by all the denominations in no more than 40 minutes.

Hope the officials read this letter and heed... waste not - we just aint got it.

J BURROWS

Nassau,

April 18, 2022.