Bahamas Carnival Band Owners Association (BCBOA) President Dario Terrelli said band owners are "concerned and frustrated" over the lack of organization surrounding the second annual Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival and suggested yesterday that the commission charged with organizing the event is doing a "lousy" job.
Terrelli noted that key details concerning the festival are still unknown, including who will headline the main concert, the budget for the festival and the events that will lead up to the road march.
"It's very concerning and very frustrating because we have revelers who are coming in and persons... want to know what's happening the week of carnival," Terrelli told The Guardian. "We are not hearing anything."
Carnival is set for May 5-7 in New Providence.
Terrelli said it seems as if the Bahamas National Festival Commission (BNFC) hasn't learned any lessons from last year's event and will again seek to make decisions at the last minute.
"This is a government agency," he said. "This is how the government operates for some reason but from a private perspective, it's lousy for them to wait until the last minute. We had a year to plan this. We should have launched in August."
The lead up to the 2015 carnival was mired in controversy.
Early last year, commission members Fred Munnings Jr. and Ed Fields resigned. One of them pointed to "bureaucratic interference by political operatives and certain ministers of the government". However, Munnings Jr. and Fields eventually returned to the commission.
During the height of the controversy, several observers including Baha Men founder Isaiah Taylor also criticized the commission for not having a headliner months before the festival.
Trinidadian music sensation Machel Montano was revealed as the headliner a few weeks before the event.
BNFC Chairman Paul Major acknowledged last year that the late selection of the headliner impacted the commission's ability to effectively promote the event internationally. He declined to comment on the matter when called this week.
Terrelli said while the Ministry of Tourism is doing a good job with international promotions, the commission has "fallen short". He said it is likely because the commission was criticized for overspending during last year's event.
"I think they are victims of circumstance," Terrelli said. "I think they are trying to be too protective. They are holding back for the last hour before they give a budget."
Last year's budget was $9 million, however the government spent $12.9 million to host the festival. The government made $6.68 million in taxes and direct revenue from carnival, which represented a 51.6 percent return, according to a report presented by the commission. The commission reported that the event generated $19.01 million in economic activity.
By Krystel Rolle-Brown
Guardian Staff Reporter
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