THE JUNKANOO FIGHT

There appears to be a fight brewing over Junkanoo at a time when an election is nearing.  The Minister of Culture Mario Bowleg indicated that draft legislation is now out for consultation to create a Junkanoo Authority that will run the Junkanoo parades and will own the copyrights to the heritage that is Junkanoo and manage the brand. The JCNP, the Junkanoo cooperation that was formed during the Christie government to manage the New Providence parades, are in full throated revolt and threatened not to participate in any further parades unless the Government pulls back from its position. The Prime Minister and the Minister are not backing down. They believe they have the majority of Junkanooers with them. The Leader of the Opposition stepped aside from the issue saying in two press releases,  even though he was the Minister of Culture who first brought up the idea, his name should not get mixed up in the present debate. He accused the Prime Minister of doing this for family reasons. The Prime Minister’s brother is one of the leaders of a Junkanoo group.  Junkanooers are amongst the most quarrelsome individuals in The Bahamas.  We hope that this away quietly.