Mr. Minister, Kirkland Bodie is not on board with your Carnival idea. It seems like I must reiterate my position again as I have heard rumors that I now agree with this asinine plan of a carnival. No sir, I am against this carnival and I will never be for it, as long as you are using the Bahamian taxpayers’ monies to fund it. Our monies should be used for our things, for Bahamian cultural events. A few elitists got together and decided to waste the Bahamian people’s money anyway they choose, and they throw around figures hoping that we are broke enough to bow down to them and to further deify them because they have the keys to the treasury.

Mr. Minister I never agreed in anyway with y’all carnival idea. Neither you nor your minions have come up with an intelligent reason why we should proceed with this hedonistic festival with Bahamian taxpayers’ money, yet we have enough hell on our hands in this country and you want to add an ambiguous festival to further corrupt and confuse our society. I see that as being extremely reckless sir. Countless others have been asking you and your committee to just change the name to Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival or something more patriotic to us as a country, but no. The elites have no love for what is truly ours, sir “real talk”. This carnival idea will not make it pass the next general election because any party vying to be our next government will have to campaign against this in my view, or I will personally campaign against them.

The reports on the streets is that you and your committee have already brought in a Trinidadian consultant to teach the art of making carnival costumes, again on the Bahamian taxpayers’ dime. No respect for us or your post sir. The word coming out of your workshop on my objection to this carnival idea is that the people who will attend this naked parade have no clue on who K.B. is. Well sir, I don’t want that type of audience sir. My audience has more class than skipping through the streets rubbing up on each other, drinking rum and cavorting around as if in a Roman or Greek orgy exhibition sir. My true fans that know and have supported my career will vote you out of power sir. They will remove a Minister and MP who cares not for his nation’s culture but someone else’s. They are my people sir, the Bahamian people, who throughout the years, have purchased my body of work; so watch out for them when they are quiet, that’s when you should worry.

Mr. Minister why are you wasting millions of dollars on another country’s culture and not supporting your own? Sir you have terrible advisors around you, and they will cost you in the long run. I want our Junkanoo Parades to succeed. I want our Rake-N-Scrape Festivals to succeed. I also want our Goombay Summer Festivals to succeed, and with all my heart and soul, I want this carnival to fail in The Bahamas. I don’t care if it makes billions. Satan usually comes adorned in glitz to fool the public. This carnival is not ours and it will corrupt our nation. It is a satanic festival and it should stay in hell where it belongs. I would ask the church to keep a close eye on this carnival thing and watch as the government brings in low morals and a low vibration festival to further corrupt our nation.

Question:

1. Sir who will keep track of how the taxpayers’ monies will be disbursed out and to whom?

2. How much of the taxpayers’ monies have been spent already?

3. What is the cost for the Trinidadian consultant and what are his expenses?

4. Were recording artists sent to New Orleans? If that is so, would that not be considered an unfair advantage to the other participants in the song competition? If one of those recording artists that took the New Orleans trip won, would the competition not look fixed?

5. If this farce of a carnival does not make back the people’s monies, or the 30 million projected, who will go to jail?

6. Why don’t you give my Rake-N-Scrape committee ten million dollars to organize an official Rake-N-Scrape Festival starting in New Providence next year and give us the same parameters for success like your carnival? Fair is fair right?

6 b. Why don’t you do the same for the Junkanoo committee? Ten million dollars and let the committee enhance their parade into an international success.

Please answer these simple questions and fulfill these simple wishes as well as your mandate to the Bahamian people please, and I swear, I would not bother y’all carnival thing again. Or better yet, put the people’s money back into the treasury and ask y’all elite friends to put up the monies for y’all carnival.

Kirkland H. Bodie

Bahamian Culture

The Bahamas Departmen of Meteorology has issued a Severe Thunderstorm warning from 2:45pm EDT until 6:00PM Monday June 30, 2014.

A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect for Andros, The Berry Islands, Abaco, Grand Baham and their adjacent waters.

At 2:40 pm observation and satellite imagery depicted large clusters of thunderstorms associated with a low pressure system near the extreme NorthWest Bahamas.

Some of these thunderstorms will be severe at times causing strong gusty winds, dangerous lighting, heavy downpours, hail and possible waterspout or tornadic activity. Flooding in low lying ares is expected.

Boaters in the warning area should seek safe harbour and residents in the warning area should stay indoors and away from windows when conditionsn worsen. Residents should not seek shelter or under trees or in water as these can become lightening conductors.

ISSUED BY: FORECASTER: GEOFFREY GREENE

The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) National Open and Junior Track and Field Championships wrapped up on Sunday at the old Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium as three exciting days of competition came to an abrupt end. BTC is the leading sponsor of athletics in the country.
Each day the meet had good crowd support despite the overcast weather and mild showers. The nation's brightest stars competed for the right to be called national champions in their respective events. The meet also served as one of the final events for junior athletes to qualify for the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Junior Championships, which will be held from July 22-27 in Eugene, Oregon, in the United States of America (USA).
In addition, the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Junior Track and Field Championships are rapidly approaching, set for July 4-6, in Morelia, Mexico.
The Bahamas had a strong showing at the last CAC junior championships in El Salvador, and this year the team looks to perform well again. While the younger athletes were vying for spots on the world juniors team, the more seasoned athletes saw the nationals as an opportunity to make their case for selection to the team headed to Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 3, for the 20th Commonwealth Games.
The 400 meters (m) race has become a fan favorite over the years here in The Bahamas, and for good reason, Tonique Williams-Darling is the former world and Olympic champion in the event, and the "Golden Knights" sprinted to victory in the 4x400m relay at the 2012 London Olympics. At the nationals this past weekend, the 400m was once again the hottest race on the program.
In the open women's 400m, former world youth and world junior champion Shaunae Miller took care of business in impressive fashion, winning in a season's best time of 51.86 seconds. Lanece Clarke finished in second, in a personal best time of 52.43 seconds, and veteran runner Christine Amertil finished in third, in 52.94 seconds.
"I just thank God that I am able to come back healthy. I had a long season of injuries and even though we are
winding down the season right now at least I am getting back into shape and getting into some sort of race form," said Miller. "The race was a little bit crazy; I got out a little too slow, trying to get a feel back and not wanting to rush into it. I took it easy for the first 200 meters and then I just got wind from there. I'm still probably about 70 percent, nowhere near 100 percent, but like I said, I'm just trying to get over all of the injuries and bring it in very slowly."
Amertil was very pleased with her run.
"I was very happy with the race. I haven't had much opportunities to race this season, so I'm not really race confident or race sharp but it was good to be here racing against good competition in this warm weather. The level of competition shows progress. I have been running against these young ladies for a while now and the competition shows the level of progress in our track and field program," said Amertil.
In the open men's 400m, the suspense lasted right down to the wire as LaToy Williams managed to edge Michael Mathieu for the national title. Williams finished the race in a season's best time of 44.97 seconds, the first time he ran under 45 seconds in five years. Mathieu finished second, in 45.53 seconds. Alonzo Russell managed to get a third place finish in a time of 46.21 seconds.
"I ran my season's best so I couldn't ask for more than that. I was happy that I was able to do that and also finish the race healthy. I tried to execute as much as possible like my coach told me to and I am happy with the result. Moving forward I'm really looking forward to staying healthy. That has been one of my biggest problems with track, so I'm looking forward to it," said Williams.
"Golden Knight" Mathieu was impressed with what Williams did.
"It's clear that LaToy is back in full form. He is a great competitor. I didn't have anyone next to me in lane four so I ran a bad race but I am just thankful that I was able to come second overall," said Mathieu.
Demetrius Pinder competed in the heats but elected not to participate in the final due to some minor health issues.
"In the warm-up area my hamstring was not on my side. You know I had a few problems with my hamstring last year and I didn't want to spark that fire up again this year so I just played it close and decided to sit out," said Pinder.
Over in the field, former Olympic bronze medalist in the triple jump Leevan "Superman" Sands contested the long jump event. He continued a much-anticipated comeback, finishing second in the event behind three-time national champion Raymond Higgs. Junior long jumper LaQuan Nairn finished third. Higgs finished with a final leap of 7.88m (25' 10-1/4"), while Sands finished with a best leap of 7.51m (24' 7-3/4"). Nairn was close behind with a leap of 7.50m (24' 7-1/4").
"I felt good coming into the competition but as things heated up I really don't know what happened. I guess I have to go back to the drawing board. This was like my second worst jump of the season. I have one more meet before the Commonwealth Games so I'll see if I could correct some things out there. I couldn't really tell you what happened today, the energy was good, the crowd was good, but I guess it was just one of those days," said Higgs.
Sands said he's just thankful to finish healthy.
"I just wanted to come out and give it my best. I just thank God that I was able to finish healthy. A lot of people don't understand that I overcame a lot of pain to get back to where I am. I got a post on Facebook the other day that was a slap in the face and I took it to heart because getting back here wasn't easy, but I was glad I got a chance to come out here and compete with the young guys again, because it's them that I'm really doing this for. I work with a lot of them and try to encourage them whenever I can," said Sands.
Also on the field, reigning high jump national champion Ryan Ingraham successfully defended his title. He edged out Jamal Wilson and Donald Thomas for the first place finish. Ingraham had a best leap of 2.28m (7' 5") while Wilson and Thomas were tied for second with jumps of 2.24m (7' 4").
"Coming in at first I was a bit shaky, but I got the hang of it later in the competition and began to build a rhythm, so from there I just worked on some mistakes I made in the beginning. From the time I stepped up, I knew I was going to win so I was just having fun," said Ingraham.
Wilson said the competition was awesome.
"I felt that I jumped awesome and I give all thanks to God. Coming down to the final leap I had a little physical mishap that threw my approach off a little bit, but at the end of the day I think I still did pretty good and look forward to going to Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games," said Wilson.
In some of the other events, Shavez Hart was truly impressive in the open men's 100m dash. He reclaimed the title as second-fastest Bahamian ever, behind national record holder Derrick Atkins, as he won in a personal best time of 10.11 seconds. Warren Fraser was second in a personal best time of 10.14 seconds, tying Adrian Griffith as the third-fastest Bahamian ever, and Griffith had to settle for third, with a time of 10.18 seconds.
O'Neil Williams won the open men's 1,500m in a time of 3:57.83 and national record holder Jeffrey Gibson took the men's 400m hurdles in a time of 50.97 seconds. Anthonique Strachan finished first in the open women's 100m dash in a time of 11.33 seconds. Janeko Cartwright won the under-20 boys 400m and qualified for the world juniors in the process, in a time of 47.50 seconds. Talia Thompson won the girls 400m in a time of 56.73 seconds.

The manager of the Bay Street Marina has predicted a "bright future" for the marina and Bahamian yacht sector as a whole, while proposing a business hotel on the waterfront as part of a slate of possible further investments.
Marina Manager Peter Maury said that the marina "had a good start" and continues to perform well as the marina industry enters its busy season over the summer. In addition to the three restaurants onsite, Maury said that the marina hopes to further expand and is exploring proposals for retail stores, condos and a business hotel on the property.
"From our end, we're still putting proposals together to see what best suits the market," said Maury, adding that the addition of a business hotel would present a unique opportunity for the area.
Maury hoped that the marina could partner with a hotel chain to build a small business hotel on a portion of the marina's property, which would operate independently of the marina and would set itself apart from nearby competition by targeting businessmen and providing conference spaces.
The marina, which opened in November 2013, accommodates yachts of up to 150' and is currently at roughly 70 percent capacity. The marina is part of wider downtown revitalization efforts, and Maury projected that the area would continue to grow over the next few years through continued developments.
Turning his attention to the wider yacht industry, Maury stated that The Bahamas was currently in a unique position within the region to attract yacht tourism.
"With the increased price in fuel and modern navigation, we have a good opportunity here to raise the awareness of yacht visitors," said Maury, adding that the industry could expand by raising the frequency of super yacht visits to The Bahamas.
While Maury felt that the country needed to increase the ease of doing business in the face of mounting taxes, including value-added tax (VAT) and charter fees, he remained optimistic about the marina's future.
"I see a bright future for the marina industry if we can control the cost of yachts visiting the Bahamas...We can really increase the presence of yachts that spend more per capita in this country than any other tourism sector, but that's not going to happen if we scare everybody out of here."