The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL
Tribune Staff Reporter
jrussell@tribunemedia.net

THE era of 12-hour Junkanoo parades must come to an end, Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg said yesterday as frustration mounted this season over lengthy delays that left many spectators waiting through the night.

His comments followed widespread complaints from Junkanoo fans who waited long hours for Major A groups to rush Bay Street. As the night stretched into morning and the sky turned from black to blue on New Year’s Day, some spectators abandoned the bleachers, while others dozed in their seats until the sound of goatskin drums, cowbells, horns and whistles jolted them awake.

Mr Bowleg said Junkanoo exists first and foremost for Bahamians and urged all stakeholders to work together to deliver parades that respect the audience’s time.

“It has to be a collaboration effort to come together and understand,” he said. “We must improve on how we smoothly transit and execute these parades so that the Bahamian people can see what they want to see in a timely manner.”

“I think gone are the days where these parades should take 12 to 13 hours to finish. I believe it can be done in a shorter time, where it can be most impactful and effective.”

While the National Junkanoo Committee currently manages the parades, Mr Bowleg said performers must remember they are entertaining the Bahamian public, not operating in isolation. He said a more coordinated approach would be possible under the proposed National Junkanoo Authority of The Bahamas, a statutory body the government plans to establish to unify and manage Junkanoo nationally.

He said the authority would allow officials to form strategic partnerships and called for closer collaboration between the new body, the National Junkanoo Committee and Junkanoo groups to improve parade flow and execution.

This season’s Boxing Day and New Year’s Day parades were the first organised by the National Junkanoo Committee following the government’s public dispute with the Junkanoo Corporation of New Providence. Boxing Day, in particular, drew criticism over extended delays between performances.

The committee later said the disruptions stemmed from multiple operational challenges rather than any deliberate action by participating groups.

The New Year’s Day parade showed noticeable improvement, with fewer gaps between performances. Mr Bowleg said he was pleased with that progress, noting there were few extended periods where spectators were left without entertainment as groups entered the gates. While acknowledging that further improvements will take time, he said the use of B groups to fill gaps while major groups made their way to the stage helped maintain momentum along Bay Street.

He said refining the system will be critical to ensuring Junkanoo remains enjoyable, accessible and worthy of its place as the nation’s premier cultural celebration.