By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas National Festival Commission has “scaled back” the number of vendors that will operate at this weekend’s Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival festivities, BNFC CEO Roscoe Dames said yesterday.

Mr Dames said the commission has “streamlined” its operations and made the necessary “adjustments and cuts” to this year’s budget, allowing for just over 60 food vendors and just under 20 craft vendors to be in operation this weekend, as opposed to the estimated 200 vendors that rented booths during last year’s festivities.

Mr Dames also said that every effort has been made by the BNFC and the Ministry of Finance to be “responsible and prudent” in the way it coordinates its expenditure for Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival, and has taken advice from both critics and supporters of Junkanoo Carnival “so that we could have a much leaner and more efficient operation.”

Mr Dames’ comments came during a press conference at BNFC headquarters.

Last year, several vendors told The Tribune that last year’s inaugural Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival was the “biggest financial disappointment” of their lives. At the time, BNFC Chairman Paul Major said that during the festival, he with other commission officials observed “low volumes” of people patronising vendors who were stationed on both the eastern and western ends of the carnival site.

As a result, Mr Major said around 30 to 40 vendors did not pocket the kind of money they had anticipated. According to a commission official, food vendors paid $450 to operate during the festival while craft vendors paid $300 to sell items at the cultural village.

The BNFC also faced strong criticism for going over-budget, lack of proper planning, not enough international marketing and not announcing a headliner for the festival’s concert sooner.

Yesterday however, Adrian Thompson, BNFC logistics manager, said rather than the estimated 200 vendors in operation at last year’s festivities, this year’s Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival will see over 60 food vendors, 22 of whom will be stationed on Clifford Park with four craft vendors. An additional 15 craft vendors will be stationed in the cultural village along with over 40 food vendors, Mr Thompson said.

“We’ve learnt a number of lessons from critics, those who opposed carnival and those who loved carnival we took everyone’s advice, whether solicited or unsolicited and we put it into our programme so that we could have a much leaner and more efficient operation,” Mr Dames said yesterday.

Mr Dames also said BNFC has put stronger attention on its expenditure with this year’s carnival festivities, and has taken into consideration “all of the expenses that we had last year and where we can make adjustments and cuts.”

“We were mandated to take a closer look to what we need as opposed to what we want, and our needs were addressed first, and our wants were considered where possible,” he added.

“So every effort, from the Ministry of Finance to the BNFC, every effort has been made to be responsible and prudent in the way we spend for Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival, the way we invest. Spending is one thing, but we’re making a significant investment in the country and for the country.”

Mr Dames also said that the number of international media that has taken an interest in Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival has “doubled” from last year’s festivities.

“I mean, they want to be here,” he said. “They heard about it and they want to come. To have 100 media from all over the world speaks volumes to 2017.”

Junkanoo Carnival will take place on May 5-7 in New Providence.

The festival will see performances from Trinidadian soca singer Destra, Grammy award winning Haitian hip-hop artist Wyclef Jean and Jamaican reggae star Tarrus Riley.

The festival will also feature a mix of Bahamian artists and other international performers.

Regional soca artists Ricardo Drue, Kerwin Du Bois, Farmer Nappy, Rupee, Fadda Fox, Patrice Roberts, Skinny Fabulous, Bunji Garlin and Lyrical will hit the stage during the three-day festival.

Bahamian performers, including Elon Moxey, the Blue Band Connection, Willis and the Illest, Veronica Bishop, Ira Storr, Funky D and Puzzle, will also perform.