By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement (FNM) Leader Michael Pintard has slammed Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis for his delayed intervention in the ongoing Junkanoo debacle, accusing him of sanctioning poor decisions and “playing a good cop, bad cop game” as tensions within the cultural community reached a breaking point.

Mr Pintard’s comments came after the Prime Minister was expected to meet with executives of the Junkanoo Corporation of New Providence (JCNP) on Monday at 12pm to address the growing crisis. However, officials from the Office of the Prime Minister later announced that the meeting had been rescheduled for another day.

“I think he’s late,” Mr Pintard said. “The Prime Minister has an obligation to again cast a vision for all of his ministers to follow. The largest single cultural expression of the country is in crisis under the present administration, not just the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture. The Prime Minister sits and presides over Cabinet, so he’s aware every single day of the challenges we’re having in the Junkanoo community.

“There is no possibility that they could have switched from permitting the JCNP to preside over the management of the parades and several other aspects of Junkanoo development, particularly in New Providence, and the Prime Minister not be aware. I would argue that he sanctioned it. It’s no way an Attorney General or a Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture would have been able to do what they have done up to this point if the Prime Minister did not sanction it. So he is again playing that game of good cop, bad cop. He permits his members to run wild and make ill-advised decisions, and then he comes back as if he’s come to rescue the day.”

The FNM leader said the government’s handling of the Junkanoo controversy reflects poor leadership and disregard for cultural stakeholders, accusing the administration of “bullying” Junkanoo leaders rather than engaging them respectfully.

“We are now just a few short months away from the parades on Bay Street,” Mr Pintard said. “They could have convened a full conclave to discuss the management of the parades going forward, to discuss in detail the bill on establishing an authority or commission to talk about internationalising Junkanoo and monetising it so persons could work year-round. These are all the issues, the parades are but one small part of it. The Prime Minister could have paused a long time ago.”

Mr Pintard also accused the Davis administration of hypocrisy and financial mismanagement.

“They have so many instances of financial irregularities that they have not addressed yet they want to go to the Junkanoo community and say, ‘we checking you all out in detail.’ They ought to be responsible in how they manage our culture and deal with cultural practitioners with respect, and they are not doing that right now.”

The Junkanoo crisis has been building for months. It stems from the government’s decision earlier this year to release a National Junkanoo Authority Bill and then later to take management of the parades away from the JCNP and hand control to a newly formed Parade Management Committee under the National Junkanoo Committee (NJC).

The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture defended the decision as part of broader reforms meant to modernise and professionalise Junkanoo management. However, JCNP members accused the government of acting without consultation, ignoring the voices of cultural stakeholders, and jeopardising months of preparation.

The JCNP said the midseason change “disrupted sponsorship agreements, costume production, and parade logistics” that had already been finalised.

Last month, Mr Davis sought to distance himself from the dispute, telling reporters: “Don’t bring me into it.” He said the matter was being handled by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the National Junkanoo Committee (NJC).

“I’m not involved in that at all because they accuse the matter of being political, and so don’t bring me into it,” the Prime Minister said at the time. “I’ve directed the Minister of Youth and Sports and the NJC, they are dealing with it, and I’m leaving it to them.”

However, he appeared to become involved after JCNP officials claimed that the most iconic groups, the Saxons Superstars, Roots, One Family, and the original Valley Boys, would not participate in the government-run parades. One Family has since said it would participate in the NJC-run parades.