The government will ensure that Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival takes place in decency and order and "not cheapen anyone in our society, particularly our women", Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe said yesterday.
Wilchcombe was asked to respond to the Bahamas Christian Council's (BCC) claim that the promotion of half-naked women as part of Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival will only encourage "promiscuity, fornication, rape, incest and other sins of the flesh".
"Their statement is consistent with what we want in our country, an image that protects our high standards and to not cheapen anyone in our society, particularly our women," Wilchcombe said. "That is their job. That's what they are supposed to do and what we should be paying attention to. It's not only what's happening on stage, but also what's on the Internet and what's coming out of our mouths and the things that we say and the things that we do.
"I support a lot of what is being said. At the end of the day we have to never reject the words of the Christian Council or the church generally. We have to understand what they do and understand the message."
Wilchcombe said the government will maintain the "high moral standards in the presentation of our culture".
Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr. Danny Johnson said the government plans to speak with the BCC about its concerns.
"We are always in talks with the Christian Council and the church," he said. "There is no divide ever between this government and the church in The Bahamas. We are all church men. I go to Transfiguration Baptist Church on Market Street. My whole life, born, bred, christened and everything in that location. We understand what they are saying and we will make sure that we comply to the rules of decency and order in this country."
As far as the costumes, Johnson said the artists will "take care of that".
"There is room for expression across the board when it comes to Bahamian art and culture," he said. "We are not just one thing. I do think that this Junkanoo Carnival has challenged the Bahamian cultural psyche because it is a condensation, an explosion that we have never seen before so people are rightly communicating about it."
Bahamas Festival Commission Chairman Paul Major said yesterday he had no comment on the statement.
Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Bradley Roberts said Bahamas Christian Council President Ranford Patterson must never have attended the Boxing Day and New Year's Day Junkanoo parades. He suggested that the council is out of touch.
In a statement on Monday, Patterson said the government should be wary of what it allows to enter the country's gates.
"It is believed that once we open these gates, they will be very difficult to close," the statement said. "The Christian Council charged "our women's sexuality is being overtly exploited for monetary gain. We believe that in the current atmosphere of promoting gender equality, the Bahamas National Carnival Commission should be promoting our women for their dignity, grace and class and not as mere objects of lust.
"We do not share the view that our women should be on display as objects. Accordingly, we call on all concerned to resist the push to treat our mothers, daughters and sisters with such gutter-like disrespect. We call on all women and men to reject being objects of lust and lasciviousness and instead, to demand respect."
Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival will take place May 7-9 and is budgeted at $9 million.
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