Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture the Hon. Mario Bowleg joins officials and staff of his Ministry, representatives of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, and various Junkanoo stakeholders, on January 19, 2024, at the order picking and cheque presentation for the upcoming Junior Junkanoo Parade.  Sol Petroleum, a long-time sponsor of the event, also presented a $50,000 cheque in aid of the upcoming Parade.  

According to the Ministry, The 2024 Junior Junkanoo Lineup is as follows:

Preschool:
1. One on One Preschool
2. Refresher for Kids Development Center Preschool
3. Two by Two Preschool

Primary:
1. C.W. Sawyer Primary 
2. T.G. Glover Primary
3. Yellow Elder Primary
4. Carlton E. Francis Primary
5. Albury Sayles Primary
6. Marjorie Davis Institute 
7. Woodcock Primary

Junior:
1. T.A. Thompson Junior
2. C.H. Reeves Junior

All Age School:
1. Saint John’s College 
2. Discovery Learning Centre
3. Jordan Prince William 
4. Lyford Cay School

Senior:
1. Anatol Rodgers Senior
2. Government High School
3. C.V. Bethel Senior High

Community:
1. Flourished Again Youth Group
2. Genesis Youth Warhawks 

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture the Hon. Mario Bowleg joins officials and staff of his Ministry, representatives of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, and various Junkanoo stakeholders, on January 19, 2024, at the order picking and cheque presentation for the upcoming Junior Junkanoo Parade.  Sol Petroleum, a long-time sponsor of the event, also presented a $50,000 cheque in aid of the upcoming Parade.   According to the Ministry, The 2024 Junior Junkanoo Lineup is as follows: Preschool: 1. One on One Preschool 2. Refresher for Kids Development Center Preschool 3. Two by Two Preschool Primary: 1. C.W. Sawyer Primary  2. T.G. Glover Primary 3. Yellow Elder Primary 4. Carlton E. Francis Primary 5. Albury Sayles Primary 6. Marjorie Davis Institute  7. Woodcock Primary Junior: 1. T.A. Thompson Junior 2. C.H. Reeves Junior All Age School: 1. Saint John’s College  2. Discovery Learning Centre 3. Jordan Prince William  4. Lyford Cay School Senior: 1. Anatol Rodgers Senior 2. Government High School 3. C.V. Bethel Senior High Community: 1. Flourished Again Youth Group 2. Genesis Youth Warhawks 

JUNKANOO Corporation of New Providence chairman Dion Miller said the organisation is still waiting to learn why the Prodigal Sons dropped out of the Boxing Day parade, adding that Music Makers was disqualified from the competition because it did not have enough participants to meet eligibility requirements.

Category A Junkanoo groups must have 201 participants and a certain number of dancers for the step-down or off-the-shoulder category. #Music Makers did not meet these requirements, causing them to suffer two eligibility infractions. #Meanwhile, after Youth, Sports, and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg told The Tribune the Prodigal Sons must give a “decent reason” for dropping out of Tuesday’s parade or return the government’s seed money, Mr Miller said he could not explain the group’s decision. # Category A groups, such as the Prodigal Sons, received $30,000 from the $928,500 seed money the government provided this year. # “We’re still in the process of getting the New Year’s Day parade out, so I assume that in the coming days, the group will formally inform us as to what happened and what transpired in regards to the Boxing Day parade,” Mr Miller said. #“But we’re now preparing for the New Year’s Day parade, which starts early New Year’s morning around two or 1am. We think it’s going to be an exciting parade. The One Family Junkanoo organisation is the defending champion from last year’s New Year’s Day parade. We knew they didn’t perform well with this Boxing Day, so we know they have to come with a lot of blood in their eyes to redeem themselves.” The Shell Saxons Superstars unofficially won the Boxing Day Parade, dominating the major categories with its Ancient Rulers theme. # Mr Miller noted that groups are no longer allowed to contest after results are announced. # “In regards to protesters,” he said, “the system to protest has changed and so you won’t see any protests coming in and being launched after the parade results would’ve been read, so we’ve moved to a live adjudication system where groups should they be penalised for any particular matter, they have the ability to go and dispute that right there live in person on the parade to have it resolved which would allow us to get to quicker official results than in the year’s past.” # “The only thing that is happening now is that the scores and whatnot would’ve been sent to our second independent auditor who is conducting his work today, and once that would’ve been completed sometime today or tomorrow evening, the Boxing Day parade would’ve been made official.” # He said no one protested penalties on the night of the parade. # “There weren’t many penalties at the Boxing Day parade. I think One Family got a penalty, and I think another group may have gotten another penalty, but there aren’t many penalties in that regard to be contested,” he said.

Category A Junkanoo groups must have 201 participants and a certain number of dancers for the step-down or off-the-shoulder category.

Music Makers did not meet these requirements, causing them to suffer two eligibility infractions.

Meanwhile, after Youth, Sports, and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg told The Tribune the Prodigal Sons must give a “decent reason” for dropping out of Tuesday’s parade or return the government’s seed money, Mr Miller said he could not explain the group’s decision.

Category A groups, such as the Prodigal Sons, received $30,000 from the $928,500 seed money the government provided this year.

“We’re still in the process of getting the New Year’s Day parade out, so I assume that in the coming days, the group will formally inform us as to what happened and what transpired in regards to the Boxing Day parade,” Mr Miller said.

“But we’re now preparing for the New Year’s Day parade, which starts early New Year’s morning around two or 1am. We think it’s going to be an exciting parade. The One Family Junkanoo organisation is the defending champion from last year’s New Year’s Day parade. We knew they didn’t perform well with this Boxing Day, so we know they have to come with a lot of blood in their eyes to redeem themselves.”

The Shell Saxons Superstars unofficially won the Boxing Day Parade, dominating the major categories with its Ancient Rulers theme.

Mr Miller noted that groups are no longer allowed to contest after results are announced.

“In regards to protesters,” he said, “the system to protest has changed and so you won’t see any protests coming in and being launched after the parade results would’ve been read, so we’ve moved to a live adjudication system where groups should they be penalised for any particular matter, they have the ability to go and dispute that right there live in person on the parade to have it resolved which would allow us to get to quicker official results than in the year’s past.”

“The only thing that is happening now is that the scores and whatnot would’ve been sent to our second independent auditor who is conducting his work today, and once that would’ve been completed sometime today or tomorrow evening, the Boxing Day parade would’ve been made official.”

He said no one protested penalties on the night of the parade.

“There weren’t many penalties at the Boxing Day parade. I think One Family got a penalty, and I think another group may have gotten another penalty, but there aren’t many penalties in that regard to be contested,” he said.

 

The Dilly Club, a fusion of a craft cocktail bar and specialty coffee shop located in the heart of Atlantis’ Marina Village, has been crowned the Caribbean Bar of the Year by the the Caribbean Journal as part of the publication’s 10th annual Caribbean Travel Awards.

A sister bar to the TOTC Spirited Awards-nominated Bon Vivants, and Yellowbell at The Island House, The Dilly Club first opened on Paradise Island in early 2023 and quickly became a favourite with locals and tourists alike. With its maximalist “jungalow” aesthetic and range of unique craft cocktails - including “Mama Maggie”, inspired by Exuma’s swimming pigs and served in a ceramic pig mug, and the Zephyr, an elevated gin & tonic named after the trade winds that swirl across The Bahamas - The Dilly Club is a distinctive and welcomed addition to the Nassau and Paradise Island cocktail scene. 

“We are incredibly honoured to be recognised as the Bar of The Year for not only The Bahamas, but the entire Caribbean!” said Kyle Jones, Managing Director and Co-Founder of The Dilly Club. “Our team works so hard to make each and every guest experience something magical, and for that to be acknowledged on an international level is very special and humbling, particularly coming less than a year after we opened our doors.”

The Caribbean Journal’s Caribbean Travel Awards celebrates the people and places contributing to the Caribbean’s astonishing success as selected by the publication’s editorial team, the world’s leading experts on Caribbean travel and tourism. In addition to Bar of the Year for The Dilly Club, The Bahamas also received the awards for Caribbean Destination of the Year for Nassau & Paradise Island, for Dive Resort of the Year for Small Hope Bay Lodge in Andros, and for Sustainable Destination of the Year. 

The Dilly Club, a fusion of a craft cocktail bar and specialty coffee shop located in the heart of Atlantis’ Marina Village, has been crowned the Caribbean Bar of the Year by the the Caribbean Journal as part of the publication’s 10th annual Caribbean Travel Awards. A sister bar to the TOTC Spirited Awards-nominated Bon Vivants, and Yellowbell at The Island House, The Dilly Club first opened on Paradise Island in early 2023 and quickly became a favourite with locals and tourists alike. With its maximalist “jungalow” aesthetic and range of unique craft cocktails - including “Mama Maggie”, inspired by Exuma’s swimming pigs and served in a ceramic pig mug, and the Zephyr, an elevated gin & tonic named after the trade winds that swirl across The Bahamas - The Dilly Club is a distinctive and welcomed addition to the Nassau and Paradise Island cocktail scene.  “We are incredibly honoured to be recognised as the Bar of The Year for not only The Bahamas, but the entire Caribbean!” said Kyle Jones, Managing Director and Co-Founder of The Dilly Club. “Our team works so hard to make each and every guest experience something magical, and for that to be acknowledged on an international level is very special and humbling, particularly coming less than a year after we opened our doors.” The Caribbean Journal’s Caribbean Travel Awards celebrates the people and places contributing to the Caribbean’s astonishing success as selected by the publication’s editorial team, the world’s leading experts on Caribbean travel and tourism. In addition to Bar of the Year for The Dilly Club, The Bahamas also received the awards for Caribbean Destination of the Year for Nassau & Paradise Island, for Dive Resort of the Year for Small Hope Bay Lodge in Andros, and for Sustainable Destination of the Year. 

The Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training kicked off the Holiday season with its annual Festival of Carols programme Friday, December 1, 2023 at Church of God of Prophecy, East Street.

The event, which was attended by Deputy to the Governor General Ruby Ann Cooper-Darling, featured music educators and students of all age groups from schools in New Providence and Central Abaco with a virtual presentation.

The event, which focused on the theme “The Reason He Came”, included a musical selection by a combined high school band, congregational singing, scripture readings, prayers, various school choirs, a hand bell selection, a dance Christmas praise, an all-girls chorale by Centre for the Deaf, a solo and a skit.

Gerald Cash Primary School’s Rake N Scrape Ensemble was a crowd pleaser and received standing ovation.

Dominique McCartney-Russell, Acting Director of Education gave Christmas greetings.
 Rev. Joel Johnson, Youth Pastor at Salem Union Baptist Church was the guest speaker.

In her special Christmas remarks the Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin, Minister of Education and Technical and Vocational Training, said the story of Christ is the most amazing story of love.

“Let this season be intensified with the spirit of love and set ablaze post December throughout the year. Love is powerful. It is the power of change, it is the power of healing, it is the power of transformation, it is the power to achieve peace. Let nothing get between the power of love and its manifest work and our children, our young people and our nation. In this we must be intentional, deliberate, unwavering, faithful and courageous,” she said.

“No weapon formed against our young people of this nation will prosper.”

She wished a Merry Christmas to all present.

The Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training kicked off the Holiday season with its annual Festival of Carols programme Friday, December 1, 2023 at Church of God of Prophecy, East Street. The event, which was attended by Deputy to the Governor General Ruby Ann Cooper-Darling, featured music educators and students of all age groups from schools in New Providence and Central Abaco with a virtual presentation. The event, which focused on the theme “The Reason He Came”, included a musical selection by a combined high school band, congregational singing, scripture readings, prayers, various school choirs, a hand bell selection, a dance Christmas praise, an all-girls chorale by Centre for the Deaf, a solo and a skit. Gerald Cash Primary School’s Rake N Scrape Ensemble was a crowd pleaser and received standing ovation. Dominique McCartney-Russell, Acting Director of Education gave Christmas greetings.   Rev. Joel Johnson, Youth Pastor at Salem Union Baptist Church was the guest speaker. In her special Christmas remarks the Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin, Minister of Education and Technical and Vocational Training, said the story of Christ is the most amazing story of love. “Let this season be intensified with the spirit of love and set ablaze post December throughout the year. Love is powerful. It is the power of change, it is the power of healing, it is the power of transformation, it is the power to achieve peace. Let nothing get between the power of love and its manifest work and our children, our young people and our nation. In this we must be intentional, deliberate, unwavering, faithful and courageous,” she said. “No weapon formed against our young people of this nation will prosper.” She wished a Merry Christmas to all present.