The Tribune

By LETRE SWEETING

Tribune Staff Reporter

lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

YOUTH, Sports and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg apologised to those who could not get premium tickets for the upcoming Boxing Day parade because of limited seating on Bay Street.

JCNP chairman Dion Miller said 80 per cent of the parade’s tickets have been sold, while 30 per cent of New Year’s Day tickets have been sold.

“As the minister responsible for culture and Junkanoo, we can only apologise to individuals that they were not fortunate enough to buy tickets on time and whatever technical difficulties might have occurred,” Mr Bowleg said during a press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister.”

Frustrated residents complained about challenges buying tickets through the ALIV Events app earlier this week.

“ALIV is doing their best to ensure that it is fixed,” Mr Bowleg said. “But as we move toward the new age, we must move away from having handheld tickets. This is a new generation of technology that is coming forward.”

Officials have noted that 37 per cent of prime seats in Rawson Square and the front of Scotiabank are reserved for various partners.

Mr Bowleg said the ministry places 300 seats each year for government officials, judiciary members, and other prominent officials.

“We support Junkanoo Corporation of New Providence (JCNP) and their pursuit to please their corporate sponsors as it relates to having seating arrangements made for them financially because they are the ones who assist the government in ensuring this parade goes on,” he said.

“And, yes, we probably are at the stage where we are outgrowing Bay Street and the seating arrangements, but in due time, as with everything in life, we make changes as necessary.”

Mr Miller said he anticipates this year’s parade will be among the biggest ever.

“We anticipate this will be some of the largest parades that we have seen in our recent times and indeed since coming back from COVID-19, the love and passion for Junkanoo has returned in a massive way,” he said.

He noted that Junkanoo parades are expensive to produce.

“Junkanoo is a very, very expensive thing, both at the group level and at the individual level,” he said. “It takes a Category A group a quarter of a million dollars to perform on Bay Street. The average individual Junkanoo performer spends anywhere between $3,500 to $5,000 on his or her costume.”