The following is a statement from Kirkland 'KB' Bodie:
Like all of the other mistruths, wordplay and outright lies told about
me, I will assume that the Minister of Tourism must have been
misinformed, because according to the April 2nd,
2015 Punch newspaper article quoting the Minister, it is said that I am
slated to perform at the Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival 2015 event. This is
not true. I am not booked to perform on any of the Bahamas Junkanoo
Carnival 2015 events.
I felt that this should have always been a one hundred (100) percent
Bahamian Festival, showcasing Bahamian culture at its finest. As long
as there are foreign acts at this so-called
Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival, I will not perform.
If
you want to invite foreign artists in, why don’t we get the private
sector to put on these events, like a Jazz Festival, where you could
invite an Usher, or Rihanna? Or a Caribbean
Festival, privately funded, where you could invite our brothers and
sisters from throughout the diaspora?
The
Bahamian people’s money should be spent on Bahamian events, like
Homecomings, Regattas, Bahamian Festivals, etc. I supported the
Bahamianization of this Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival
event to move it away from the Trinidad carnival direction that it is
now on. Although I still hate that the word ‘carnival’ is being used, I
pray, one day, that will also change.
I
call on the Prime Minister to cancel the performance contracts of all
those foreign acts, that is, if it is true that they have already been
booked. Someone please tell me how
can a non-Grammy award-winner be paid more than a Grammy award-winner?
Is foreign truly better?
We
need to put Bahamian entertainers as the event headliners. We should
choose not to use the Bahamian people’s money to finance foreign
entertainers at an event that should be about
us and our cultural expressions, in all aspects.
I would like to thank the Punch newspaper for giving me the
front page, once again, and for publishing such a nice looking photo of
me. ;) But no, I am not contracted to perform
at the upcoming Carnival event and I will not be performing there at
all. I will take a pass on this one.
Question, if the Prime Minister of The Bahamas appoints a committee and
asks that committee to Bahamianize this already Trini-looking event and
they refuse too, then it makes me think
that the committee seems to be in charge and not the Prime Minister.
If there are funds to be allocated for this Junkanoo Carnival event in
the millions, it goes without saying that the Prime Minister and the
Cabinet of The Bahamas would have to approve
it. So if the Bahamas Festival Committee is using the taxpayers’
money, then why are they not abiding by the request and wishes of the
Prime Minister, the Minister of Tourism, nor the Minister of Youth,
Sports and Culture to Bahamianize the event, this year,
and going forward? Starting off with making the headliner of the event
a Bahamian act.
These
are just some straight forward questions that I would like answered.
In my opinion, it seems like the committee is a runaway train and is
disregarding the Government’s
wishes.
Unless
this is what the Government wants? A Trini-Soca-carnival. Someone
please let me know. There are audio recordings, throughout the media,
of the Prime Minister,
the Tourism Minister and the Youth & Sports Minister saying that
going forward this will be a Bahamianized show. Bringing in artists
from Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba, Trinidad and who knows where else is not
making this event more Bahamian, people.
I
guess they are trying to draw in those nationalities who reside in The
Bahamas to make this event a success. But at the Bahamian taxpayers’
expense?
In
closing, once again, I will not be participating in the Bahamas
Junkanoo Carnival 2015. My actions will speak louder than anyone’s
words.
This
Caribbean Carnival event is a waste of the people’s money, there is so
much we could have done to enrich and support our own cultural
performers & industry. When
the Government gets serious about Bahamian entertainment and Bahamian
culture, I’ll be there, front and center. Until then, I’ll sit this one
out...
#BAHAMASFIRST!
Kirkland H. Bodie
Like all of the other mistruths, wordplay and outright lies told about
me, I will assume that the Minister of Tourism must have been
misinformed, because according to the April 2nd,
2015 Punch newspaper article quoting the Minister, it is said that I am
slated to perform at the Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival 2015 event. This is
not true. I am not booked to perform on any of the Bahamas Junkanoo
Carnival 2015 events.
I felt that this should have always been a one hundred (100) percent
Bahamian Festival, showcasing Bahamian culture at its finest. As long
as there are foreign acts at this so-called
Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival, I will not perform.
If
you want to invite foreign artists in, why don’t we get the private
sector to put on these events, like a Jazz Festival, where you could
invite an Usher, or Rihanna? Or a Caribbean
Festival, privately funded, where you could invite our brothers and
sisters from throughout the diaspora?
The
Bahamian people’s money should be spent on Bahamian events, like
Homecomings, Regattas, Bahamian Festivals, etc. I supported the
Bahamianization of this Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival
event to move it away from the Trinidad carnival direction that it is
now on. Although I still hate that the word ‘carnival’ is being used, I
pray, one day, that will also change.
I
call on the Prime Minister to cancel the performance contracts of all
those foreign acts, that is, if it is true that they have already been
booked. Someone please tell me how
can a non-Grammy award-winner be paid more than a Grammy award-winner?
Is foreign truly better?
We
need to put Bahamian entertainers as the event headliners. We should
choose not to use the Bahamian people’s money to finance foreign
entertainers at an event that should be about
us and our cultural expressions, in all aspects.
I would like to thank the Punch newspaper for giving me the
front page, once again, and for publishing such a nice looking photo of
me. ;) But no, I am not contracted to perform
at the upcoming Carnival event and I will not be performing there at
all. I will take a pass on this one.
Question, if the Prime Minister of The Bahamas appoints a committee and
asks that committee to Bahamianize this already Trini-looking event and
they refuse too, then it makes me think
that the committee seems to be in charge and not the Prime Minister.
If there are funds to be allocated for this Junkanoo Carnival event in
the millions, it goes without saying that the Prime Minister and the
Cabinet of The Bahamas would have to approve
it. So if the Bahamas Festival Committee is using the taxpayers’
money, then why are they not abiding by the request and wishes of the
Prime Minister, the Minister of Tourism, nor the Minister of Youth,
Sports and Culture to Bahamianize the event, this year,
and going forward? Starting off with making the headliner of the event
a Bahamian act.
These
are just some straight forward questions that I would like answered.
In my opinion, it seems like the committee is a runaway train and is
disregarding the Government’s
wishes.
Unless
this is what the Government wants? A Trini-Soca-carnival. Someone
please let me know. There are audio recordings, throughout the media,
of the Prime Minister,
the Tourism Minister and the Youth & Sports Minister saying that
going forward this will be a Bahamianized show. Bringing in artists
from Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba, Trinidad and who knows where else is not
making this event more Bahamian, people.
I
guess they are trying to draw in those nationalities who reside in The
Bahamas to make this event a success. But at the Bahamian taxpayers’
expense?
In
closing, once again, I will not be participating in the Bahamas
Junkanoo Carnival 2015. My actions will speak louder than anyone’s
words.
This
Caribbean Carnival event is a waste of the people’s money, there is so
much we could have done to enrich and support our own cultural
performers & industry. When
the Government gets serious about Bahamian entertainment and Bahamian
culture, I’ll be there, front and center. Until then, I’ll sit this one
out...
#BAHAMASFIRST!
Kirkland H. Bodie