A COLLEGE of the Bahamas survey into May's inaugural Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival events concluded that most participants had a positive impression of the event.

The government spent $12.9 million on the inaugural Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival and made $6.68 million in taxes and direct revenue, according to a report presented yesterday by the Bahamas National Festival Commission. The $12.9 million price tag is nearly $4 million over the $9 million originally budgeted. The $6,689,127 in taxes and direct revenue represents a 51.6 percent return to the government. However, the commission reported that the event generated $19.01 million in economic activity.

During a presentation to the media at the Office of the Prime Minister, Bahamas National Festival Commission Chairman Paul Major declared carnival “undoubtedly a success”, saying criticisms of the event are misplaced. He insisted that carnival should not be analyzed as a “profit and loss” exercise, but as an economic stimulus with enormous potential for the future. Major explained that the cost overruns were because of the Grand Bahama event, which was not part of the original plan; construction at “Da Cultural Village” and Fort Charlotte, and additional marketing and promotion exercises.

“At a very philosophical level it is never about how much the government makes off a carnival,” Major said.

“By comparison, in Trinidad the government spends somewhere around US$30 million a year.

“...Talk to Toronto, talk to Notting Hill Carnival and ask them how much the government invests in carnival, and how much do they get? What is the profit and loss?

“I challenge you. Call them and ask ‘how much did you make off carnival? You have been doing it for 50 years. How much did you make this year’?

“And they will all tell you, ‘nothing’.”

At its inception, Prime Minister Perry Christie indicated that carnival would boost the nation’s tourism industry, attracting visitors. In some quarters, the event was criticized as a waste of money. In response, Major said carnival had an indelible and lasting impression on The Bahamas.

The three-day event created 7,208 direct and indirect jobs, according to the commission’s report.

The commission reported that $12.94 million was spent on small and medium enterprises; $9,993,085.41 on 580 enterprises in New Providence, $1,245,811 on 310 enterprises in Grand Bahama and $1,768,754.58 internationally.

A breakdown of the cost shows that the commission raised $1,582,973 in private sponsorship.

The government’s subsidy on Grand Bahama was $1.245 million. Da Cultural Village event on that island was supported by 30,000 attendees, 310 suppliers, 600 employees and 52 vendors, according to the report. The tax revenue generated was $2 million.

“Junkamania” and the “Music Masters” events were attended by 10,000 and 50,000 people respectively.

Cash prizes for these events totaled $82,500. Over $800,000 was spent on Bahamian musicians. Over 1,100 entertainers were engaged for the three-day event.

The commission spent $640,000 on infrastructural and civil improvements for Da Cultural Village, and on permanent improvements, including kiosks, branded tents and fencing.

Five thousand people participated in the Road Fever event on May 9.

The commission said $900,000 was spent on seed funding.

As it relates to marketing, the commission reported its nine-week international campaign generated over 58 million brand impressions.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Tourism’s billboard advertising campaign in South Florida generated 42 million impressions.

Value for money

Eighty-six percent of participants surveyed said they believed carnival was a moderate amount of value for money or above.

The statistics were generated by students at The College of The Bahamas and is based on a sample size of 317 people.

Forty-four percent of participants said they believed carnival was moderate value for money.

Twenty-four percent said carnival was a lot of value for money; 18 percent said carnival was a great deal of value for money; 10 percent said the event had little value and four percent said the event had almost no value at all.

The statistics show that 68 percent of attendees were from New Providence; 23 percent were from the Family Islands; eight percent came from North America and one percent from Europe.

Of the estimated 115,000 people who attended the carnival events, Major estimated that 900 of them were visitors.

He attributed the low turnout to a late start in marketing the event internationally.

More than 100 people spent $50 or less; around 100 people spent between $50 and $99; over 80 people spent between $100 and $250 and fewer than 20 people spent between $250 and $500 on carnival, according to the statistics.

The Bahamas finished the 17th Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada with six medals - two gold, two silver and two bronze. The Pan Ams concluded over the weekend. This is the second-best performance by The Bahamas at the games. In 2007 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, we finished 15th with seven medals - two gold, two silver and three bronze.

Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace won gold in the women's 50m freestyle and bronze in the 100m freestyle; Jeffery Gibson won gold in the men's 400m hurdles; "Superman" Leevan Sands won silver in the men's triple jump; Bianca Stuart won silver in the women's long jump; and, Donald Thomas took bronze in the men's high jump. This was an excellent performance for a small country with a population just over 350,000. The Bahamas continues to overachieve in track and field.

There is much doom and gloom hanging over the country at this time. The Baha Mar deal has collapsed and there is no resolution in sight to the dispute. There are concerns that 2,000 people may soon be out of work. The secondary job losses would be even worse.

We are also on pace for another murder record. A man was shot dead on Saturday and another on Sunday in New Providence. This year 86 murders have been recorded and it's just July. Too many of our young people only know how to "resolve" their disputes with violence, with guns.

With all the bad news, our athletes are demonstrating on the international stage that all of our young people are not lost. They have taken the talents they were born with and magnified them through hard work and dedication. They are models to all Bahamians. After the successes at the Pan Ams our track and field stars are traveling east to the World Championships in Beijing, China. These games are scheduled for August 22 to 30.

We Bahamians are becoming accustomed to medals at big meets. We expect a medal from our men's 4 x 400 meter relay team; if she is healthy, we expect a medal from Shaunae Miller in either the 200m or 400m, depending on which race she enters; we expect a podium performance from Steven Gardiner, 19, who is now among the world's elite in the men's 400m. The Moore's Island runner recently defeated two-time world champion and former Olympic Champion LaShawn Merritt, of the United States, winning comfortably in the men's 400m in Budapest, Hungary.

We wish all the best to the athletes heading to China. They make us proud every time they compete. It would be a pleasure to see multiple gold medals won and to hear our national anthem played for the millions who will be watching around the world.

A woman who entered guilty pleas for murder, attempted murder and armed robbery charges, withdrew her guilty pleas yesterday.

Rhonda Knowles is charged along with two others in connection with the 2009 murder of Bahamasair pilot Lionel McQueen, who was gunned down during a home invasion. She entered the pleas of guilt when she appeared before Justice Bernard Turner last week.

However, when she appeared before Turner for sentencing yesterday, Knowles said she wanted to withdraw the murder and attempted murder pleas.

However, Knowles said that she would maintain her guilty plea to armed robbery.

Turner entered not guilty pleas to all charges and said he would ask the registrar to assign an attorney to her. Knowles makes her next court appearance on August 7 before Justice Roy Jones. Turner also reinstated Knowles' bail.

Knowles is charged along with Marvin Coleby and Genear McKenzie with McQueen's murder in September 2009.

McQueen was shot multiple times while at his home in Golden Palm Estates. They are also charged with the attempted murder of McQueen's housemate Montez Saunders, who was injured in the attack.