The Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival Road Fever parade is "disrespectful" to the Seventh Day Adventist church, according to Opposition Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis.

Minnis said one Cabinet minister's suggestion that revelers will simply turn the music down as they pass the church makes "absolutely no sense".

Road Fever is slated to begin at 10 a.m. today. It will start from the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.

Revelers will march down the Tonique Williams-Darling Highway, Baillou Hill Road, Nassau Street, and onto Arawak Cay.

As part of the route, the parade will pass the Hillview Seventh Day Adventist Church, which has a Sabbath School class on Saturday at 9:15 a.m., and a worship service at 11 a.m., according to the church's website.

According to the official Junkanoo Carnival website, the Road Fever event is design to "cater to the party animal in you" and will feature "positive vibes and a free spirit".

In Parliament on Wednesday, Minister of Youth, Sports, and Culture Dr. Daniel Johnson said as revelers approach the Seventh Day Adventist church, carnival officials will ask them to turn the music down.

"The answer that the minister gave, I cannot accept," Minnis said. "How are you going to discipline a group who are having fun, to say, 'Turn the music down, we reach the Seventh Day Adventist church'?

"... They don't know what time the church goes in, they don't know what time the church goes out. They don't know what time the group would arrive; they don't know how long it would take the group to leave that particular area. It is totally disrespectful."

Furthermore, Minnis said, worshippers will still have to face temporary road blockages that may hinder their access to and from the church. He suggested government should have taken the church into consideration, ahead of planning the route for the event.

"As significant a day, as significant as Saturday; that is their most holy worshipping day," Minnis said. "Discussions should have been entered. They should have discussed with the Seventh Day Adventist - that is totally disrespectful."

"...We don't know exactly what time the carnival, with its loud music and parade, will pass and disturb the church.

"The church don't know what time they'll be arriving, what time they'll be leaving that particular area, whether there will be provisions for the church goers to get into the church. This is totally disrespectful to the Seventh Day Adventist church. Their major worship day, the government and the carnival is passing that particular area."

Today's Road Fever parade is one of the last events in Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival. The march will give participants a chance to "dance and whine in the streets and party behind the big trucks", according to officials.

Later tonight, artists Tarrus Riley, Bunji Garlin, Julien Believe and others are expected to perform at Arawak Cay.

Last night, the Music Masters event saw performances by international artists Wyclef Jean and Destra.

Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival officially began on Thursday with the opening of "Da Cultural Village" and performances at the Junkamania concert.

Dana Smith, Guardian Staff Reporter

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