Atlantis, Paradise Island congratulates athletes of the 36-member Bahamas National Swim Team for their efforts in Martinique at the 45th annual Carifta Games as the mega-resort property maintains its commitment to be a good corporate citizen in the community of New Providence and the wider Bahamas.

“We are very proud of the efforts put forth by these youngsters to keep The Bahamas a strong contender in the world of Caribbean sports,” says  Atlantis Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Ed Fields, adding, “this is positive news and we all should hold our heads high and give these youngsters a hearty round of applause.”

Prior to their departure to compete in the youth games, Atlantis once again happily provided box lunches for each member of the team to keep them satisfied during their long flight. Fields is pictured with several of the Carifta athletes.

THIS year’s Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival will not feature a headline act, multiple officials confirmed to The Tribune yesterday. The event will only feature Bahamian artists.

Despite this, Robert Sands, commissioner and chairman of the marketing committee for carnival, predicted that more tourists would attend this year’s event compared to last year. He said the lack of a headliner won’t affect the way the event will be received, arguing that marketing of the festival has improved to such a degree that more visitors will book hotels this year than did last year. He did not, however, give the Bahamas National Festival Commission’s (BNFC) specific targets for tourism arrivals and hotel bookings.

The decision not to have a headliner is a significant and unexpected change from last year. BNFC Chairman Paul Major and Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe both suggested last year that a failure to secure a headline act well before the start of the 2015 festival hindered marketing efforts while possibly preventing the event from attracting more tourists.

And although Trinidadian soca artist Machel Montana was eventually contracted to headline the event, organisers were criticised for not securing a headline act sooner, allowing speculation to abound during the interim period about who would be chosen.

Last year’s event was well received by Bahamians, attracting record numbers gathered in a single area. Nonetheless, the Christie administration still has much to prove to its critics regarding the sustainability and profitability of the festival.

Last year’s festival failed to create a profit for the government. The event also went over-budget, costing the government $11.3m despite an initial budget of $9m. Organisers nonetheless argued that the negative shortfall was not unusual for inaugural events and that the event would become more successful in the future.

The Tribune was told that the government will set aside about $3m to fund the event this year, though this has not been finalised.

Mr. Sands said yesterday: “We’re not convinced that the headliner act is the only reason why people will come, although it’s one of the reasons they will come. The fact that this is the second annual festival, the word-of-mouth, the excitement of how successful it was last year, will push the event forward. The fact that we have promoted these events at other carnivals around the region will help as well. Lots of efforts are being made to attract bodies in beds.

“We are collaborating significantly with key markets in the United States and promoting the event through social media, radio and billboards to attract individuals to this event. We expect numbers greater than last year and we have the momentum on our side. The hotels are sensitised to the fact that carnival will be taking place this April, but it’s premature to say how this relates to hotel bookings.”

Mr. Sands said organisers have learned to be more forward thinking while marketing the event, including by focusing on diaspora areas.

That the government will contribute less money to fund the festival this year should not impair their efforts to make this year’s event a bigger success, he said.

“We’ve been more visible this year. Last year was the foundation year. Many things we did then won’t be replicated this year. The amount of money spent this year will be used more for execution and generation of tactics and marketing that will allow us to attract people to the event. We expect that next year we will spend even less money and that revenue generation will be even greater.”

HEALTH Minister Dr. Perry Gomez.

THE primary healthcare phase of National Health Insurance, which was expected to start in April, will be delayed by “around six months or so,” Health Minister Dr. Perry Gomez told reporters yesterday. His statement came a week after government consultants from KPMG said it will be months before primary healthcare services are offered.

Last week officials said a final determination has not yet been made on what legislative framework must exist to facilitate NHI’s public healthcare insurer, but Cabinet planned to go out to tender seeking a private company to manage this area. This process will take months, KPMG executive Mark Britnell said last week, adding that it must be completed and the public health insurer must be established before primary healthcare services could be offered through NHI.

When contacted for his thoughts yesterday, leading surgeon Dr. Duane Sands said he “highly doubts” the first phase of NHI will be implemented before the summer. However, Dr. Sands said he believes the discussions between the government and stakeholders have taken a turn for the better and the exchanges are no longer “just unilateral.”

Dr. Sands said the big question now is whether the government will delay the plan long enough to arrive at a quality programme for Bahamians or push forward and use NHI as a political tool.

“If the government considers and takes into account the suggestions from KPMG and give the people the opportunity to learn how to deliver the services properly then this could work,” Dr. Sands said.

“We have heard about the equipment acquisition plans and the ward renovations but we haven’t seen them. If the government can move away from the ‘my way or the highway’ approach, they will find a number of stakeholders prepared to join hands with them. We will wait and see whether the government actually cares or if this is just a political tool.”

The government has previously said NHI’s primary care phase would begin in April. But in February, Dr. Gomez said a delay was “likely”.

Yesterday Dr. Sands said physicians are still on board to assure that once the scheme is introduced, it has all its element working well.

Dr. Sands termed NHI as a major undertaking that requires non-partisan and civic consultation to work. He said all matters connected to the proposed scheme need to be constructed in a manner where all persons projected to benefit, see and understand what they will be afforded under the new policy prior to its implementation.

The government has yet to table and pass NHI legislation in Parliament nor has the Christie administration revealed how much it will cost taxpayers.

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

A Supreme Court judge yesterday reserved his decision in the contempt hearing of an employer who cut the pay of a worker who was performing jury duty.

Henry Wemyss, the owner of Wemco Security, is accused of refusing to pay the man and/or docking the $15 daily stipend that jurors receive from his pay.

The employee is no longer employed by the firm. He alleged that he was constructively dismissed as his superiors stopped including him on the roster.

Senior Justice Stephen Isaacs summoned Wemyss, a former policeman, to explain why he should not be committed to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services for contempt of court.

Wemyss is represented by Wayne Munroe, QC.

According to Munroe, the stipend was deducted from the man's pay.

Isaacs said, "From where I sit, what the court pays them has nothing to do with their salary."

Munroe said the employee was told to inform his superiors when he needed to be excused for jury service.

Isaacs said, "I've been informed that he is no longer an employee."

Munroe said, "He just stopped reporting."

The judge will give his decision on April 12.