Well it is up to the Junkanoo leaders to use carnival as a teaching moment, not to steal the concept or to dilute Junkanoo but to revive it. We know that Junkanoohas failed to grow its fan base over the years because of organizational problems. Groups have cause Junkanoo to become stale and boring by making the groups too large and the costumes too large and the smooth, enjoyable, easy flow of Junkanoo has become constipated. So while the groups must realize it's not all about size (groups and costumes) and organizers must ensure that Junkanoo remains Junkanoo and does not become Junkanoo carnival they must find a way to put the festival spirit back in the parades. And of course changing the winners results three, four even five times after parades do not draw fans.

access denied. The biggest problem for the food vendors is that the Carnival site is closed off to the motoring public from 12 noon each day of the event. So if you are someone on lunch break or someone ain't into the party but who want to stop for something to eat on the way home it is more than a hassle to get on the site. You have to park so far away and time as you get through the security checks, your lunch hour is gone and so is your appetite. So maybe there is a need to allow 30 minute parking on Arawak Cay (fish fry) and at the other end until say around 6 pm when the concert starts. Another thing is the food vendors may have to pre sell their wares by way of tickets or another idea is to tie vendors to the different Carnival groups so they are guaranteed at least a minimum. The vendors stationed in the more popular won't need this. As for the crafts side this may need earlier access. No one is going to purchase craft and have to tote them around all night at a concert or put them in their car for someone to break in.

They need to get the major properties to piggyback the Carnival advertising on their own promotions. Maybe everyone was waiting to see the quality of the product before they advertise it or tie it to their property. But there needs to be more events that utilizes the national stadium. Imagine the maintenance cost to host only one or two events a year.

In Ghana the power goes off 24 hours for every 12 hours it is on. The government of that country is trying to assist every household with getting a solar system with enough capacity to run a refrigerator and at least four light bulbs. The government's intention is not only to eliminate spoiled meat and the use of kerosene oil and candles during blackouts, but also to reduce the load and total dependence on the electricity grid and thereby reduce the country's need to import more expensive fuels. Many Bahamian households and businesses that operate during daylight hours can run up to 80 percent on solar energy, air conditioning included. It would be interesting to see what plan the new BEC board/management team puts in place to restructure this country's energy grid and decrease the country's appetite for fossil fuels..

It is the controvesy and the criticism and the opposition, that helped to bring Carnival to a succesful conclude. If you remember the first controvesy was that Junkano was not going to be involved in Carnival. It was suggested here that junkanoo be incorporated in the festival and the. "Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival", name was suggested, then announced as the official name a few weeks later by the prime minister. Then there was the controvesy about an international headliner for the event. At the time Bahamian talent felt it was being ignored and overlooked, but this too played itself out when a (multi) million dollar super star could not be booked and the event was stocked with local talent along with Machel Montana, who many persons felt performed to late and left the crowd still hungry for more. And of course there was the issue about the weather, Some said people prayed for rain and even storms to wash out the event. A stormed formed in the Northwest Bahamas and drenched the islands up until noon of the start of the event. Then the rain dried up and three of the better, sunny days of the year followed, leading to the successful staging of Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival 2015. The cosuomes and the road parade was not as vulgar or revealing as some expected, and the police reported that, for the most part the event was crime free. Anyone visiting any of the sites for the event cannot say that a lot of planning an effort and energy and resources went into the event and regardless of what level of success you want to rate it at, it did not come without a price. Now its left for organizers to promote Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival to the world as a relatively clean, safe and family orientated event. Then the same standards have to be maintained.

The fact is the government needs to start digging deeper to find the real reasons behind these killings. Even though the police claim a detection rate of over 70%, the conviction rate is below 50%. Where are the guns coming from? Is it now time to post defense force craft at our western boarder to scrutinize marine traffic? The problem with illegal weapons is not a problem here in the Bahamas, and the Caribbean but it is a problem in most major cities in the U.S. Not only do criminals want guns, but persons want to sell guns on the black market where they can fetch three, four, five times the value of a gun that is sold legally. Maybe a study needs to be done and backtrack guns to the manufacturer or at least it's point of entry into the Bahamas. That should then point to who's bringing them in. Or do we really want to know?

Is this the same person that went missing from PMH?

Some are starting to think the dominoes killings are a trademark of a particular gang operating on New Providence, a kind of ritual even. Others think they merely use the domonioes game to lure the victims to an open area and keep him distracted until the killer arrives and can get a clear shot. Usually only the intended target is killed or even injured unlike in this instance.

This is the same storm system that was threatening to wash out carnival.

A lot of the brass of the PLP will be retiring in the 2017 election. The draw in 2017 will be determined by how much the economy improves, job creation and what is done about crime. Where will Gray be in 2017?