In a passionate address at the Bahamas Business Outlook yesterday, Chairman of the Bahamas National Festival Commission Paul Major defended the upcoming Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival, which has sparked controversy in recent days.

Major said while debate surrounding the event continues, one thing is undeniable: The economic benefits the cultural festival will bring to the country. In the past week, Junkanoo Carnival has been slammed by the Bahamas Christian Council, Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller, a number of Bahamian artists and Junkanoo enthusiasts. Major said he is unmoved by the criticisms and will let the commission's work speak for itself.

"The more opposition and the more naysayers, the more we need to prove that the economic benefits of this thing surpasses all of that," he said at the conference, which was held at the Melia Nassau Beach Resort. Major addressed critics who have argued that Junkanoo Carnival will have a negative impact on the country's premier cultural festival, Junkanoo.

"I don't know why...the people are all about asking why we are forsaking Junkanoo," he said. "...My heart is with Junkanoo, but there are reasons that prevail as to why we had to go a different road and I'm proud to support that idea." Major noted that Junkanoo is not as economically viable as carnival is in the region.

"We've been beating this Junkanoo beat, the same beat on Bay Street, the same songs every year from I was a child, and you can't hear it [anywhere] else in the world because no one is buying it," he said. "We have to get this thing in a [form] where it is transportable, where it becomes reggae or something like that, soca, or calypso and it becomes internationally recognized and sellable."

As it relates to the criticisms surrounding the reasons behind the commission bringing in an international artist instead of allowing a Bahamian to be the main act, Major said the hard truth is that no Bahamian artist can pull in the number of visitors the commission is looking to attract.

"You could advertise as much as you want, up and down the eastern seaboard and Toronto, and you can call the biggest names you have here, and everyone would say, 'who are you talking about'," he said. "So all we're using it as is a ploy to get the people here now. Once they get here and they see and feel the groove and the rhythm of what we have to offer, forget about the international artist. Eventually, we want to see them phase out. Today we cannot bring the economic benefit by just going strictly local."

He argued that even if every Bahamian were to participate in carnival, the economy would not grow as no new money would be coming in. Major said the commission would bring in a Grammy-award winning artist. However, he did not reveal who the commission is looking at.

The commission was previously seeking to bring in Janet Jackson, however that deal fell through. As for the benefit for local business, Major said it is estimated that businesses that participate in carnival-related activities often see increased sales of up to 100 percent during the course of the carnival season. He noted that the commission will also be supporting local businesses and artists.

"To date we have spent $1.5 million with a total of 214 small and medium sized local entities, for an estimated GDP impact of roughly $7.96 million," Major said.

He added that the commission will spend an estimated $5 million in the next few months, resulting in a projected GDP impact of $20.65 million. As for the business that will design and build the costumes, he said they have the potential to make million of dollars. He said the money will have a trickle down effect on the Bahamian workforce.

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