EDITOR, The Tribune.

I watched the Junkanoo Carnival in Freeport over the weekend and was blown away with the participation, enthusiasm and excitement of the general public. The conflicting stories about the numbers are secondary to the glaring fact that the support was overwhelming. No honest person can say it was not a success.

Of course the “preachers of doom and gloom” and those who want this to be about politics must come to grips that Bahamians were there because after all was said and done, Junkanoo Carnival was a Bahamian event, put on by Bahamians, supported by Bahamians, with Bahamian talent and benefited by Bahamians.

The weak criticism about the event being over a few days and that all are the same people who do not want their children to participate in Junkanoo period.

People are now calling for costumes because as we know Bahamians are last-minute decision makers. But the telephones are ringing off the hook and we know full well that at the end of the day, all will be well.

The beauty is that families are coming, which mean that there is nothing X-rated about Junkanoo Carnival. This kind of propaganda was conjured in the mind of one erstwhile radio personality. Those of us who have influence over the airwaves must resolve to sell positive messages if we are to build a country.

The positive message is, Freeport was a smashing success, and many Grand Bahamians are coming to Nassau for the big show. They had so much fun until they have to do it twice. See there, Bahamians are all not pessimists.

It is time for all of us to embrace Junkanoo Carnival and be a part of the solution of making it even better next time.

Everybody join in, this is not a spectator’s event; everybody could dance and celebrate part of our culture, if not, why not?

BAHAMIAN TO THE BONE

Nassau,

April 30, 2015.