By LETRE SWEETING

Tribune Staff Reporter

lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

DECEMBER will see a new event to honour former Cabinet Minister Obie Wilchcombe, just in time for Junkanoo, according to Mario Bowleg, Youth, Sports and Culture Minister.

With high anticipation for the country’s Boxing Day and New Year’s Junkanoo Celebrations following The Bahamas’ 50th Independence earlier this year, Mr Bowleg said on Friday that Mr Wilchcombe, before his death on September 25, had made a proposal for an event that Bahamians could look forward to in New Providence on December 2.

“Before he died, he had presented me with a proposal for an event to take place, I think it was December 2. Myself and the chairman of the JCNP would have seen this request and discussed it. So now our intent is to actually pull this event off in his honour on December 2.

“We are still discussing and planning, all the details will be announced at a later date. But definitely we will look forward to that event, for which he was the visioner.

“It is slated for New Providence and it being the first year, it’s a new project and so we want to see how it comes off and if it’s something that we believe can be annual then we will look at other things,” he said.

Mr Bowleg said more information on the event itself to honour Mr Wilchcombe and other new things will be released later through the Department of Culture for Culture Month in December. He said new initiatives slated for Junkanoo will also be released at that time.

Mr Bowleg said that Junkanoo celebrations across the islands, from December straight up to June 2024, which are still in the planning and preparation phase for the Ministry, the JCNP and the participating groups will be well supported by the ministry.

“The JCNP, the NJC, the ministry along with the Grand Bahama Junkanoo Committee and the Grand Bahama Junkanoo Association with the major islands is still looking to meet in preparation for those parades.

“In all of the family islands, plans are being made, seed funding is on the verge of being released and materials are also in the process of being purchased in preparation for the family island and also for Junior Junkanoo.

“So, the wheels are turning and we’re hoping by mid-month or the end of this month, all of the necessary funding that needs to be in place will be in place to ensure that the various groups and schools start their preparations for all of the upcoming parades,” he said.

In September, Mr Bowleg announced that $2.8m had been allocated for the Junkanoo events. He said $736,000 in seed money would be shared among groups.

Seven category A groups would receive $30,000. Eighteen category B groups would get $15,000. Twenty-three D groups would receive $1,500. Twenty fun groups in Grand Bahama would get $2,000. Six category A groups in Grand Bahama would get $9,000, while four B groups would get $4,000.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness also announced that it would play a greater role than usual in screening Junkanoo participants this year after some participants experienced severe health events in previous years, including one person who died.