By RASHAD ROLLE 

and EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporters

BAHAMAS Carnival Band Owners Association chairman Dario Tirelli said he is disappointed that the Ministry of Tourism is not helping to subsidise Bahamas Carnival, arguing that the festival needs at least $250,000 in government support annually.

“It’s too big of an event for the government not to get involved,” he said.

Introduced with fanfare in 2015 and supported by $9m from the Christie administration, Bahamas Carnival has lost momentum. There are fewer bands, fewer lead-up events, and fewer participants, raising concerns about its survival over the next decade. Some believe it could survive on a smaller scale than its regional counterparts.

Mr Tirelli said most bands have been late this year in revealing their costumes. He said so far, only two — his own band, Rhythms, and the Bahamas Masqueraders, the largest group — have done so. He added that two other bands are in the process of unveiling their costumes, while there are nine registered and active bands overall.

As his committee works to bring back sponsors and rebuild momentum, Mr Tirelli said he has noticed increasing interest from foreign participants and believes this year’s event will have a bigger tourism impact than last year’s.

He said the lack of government funding has affected the song competition, once a key festival feature that helped support local artists and the creative industry.

On Friday, Tourism Minister Chester Cooper said Carnival is not part of his ministry’s portfolio and that his ministry is not involved. Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg also distanced his ministry from responsibility for the event, pointing instead to the Ministry of Tourism. He said Cabinet would have to discuss whether public funds should be used to support the festival.

In 2017, the Minnis administration withdrew government funding for Bahamas Carnival.