Grand Bahama, Bahamas (December 1st) - The Freeport News:
After weeks of speculation, officials from the Grand Bahama Junkanoo Committee (GBJC) confirmed yesterday that there will be a new Junkanoo route for the upcoming parades due to phase one of the Grand Bahama Port Authority's (GBPA) Downtown Turnaround project.

During a press conference yesterday at the office of the Prime Minster, committee members announced that the parade will start at the intersection of West Pioneer's Way and McKenzie Street, proceeding east to East Mall Drive, then turn south along East Mall Drive to Kipling Lane, then west along Kip-ling Lane to McKenzie Street.

GBJC Co-chairman William Martinborough said that due to the development of the downtown project, the cost involved and all of the infrastructural changes on its current route, GBPA executives and members from the GBJC committee have agreed that a change in the parade route would be necessary.

He noted that many of the concerns — including lighting and security — expressed by Junkanoo leaders about the new route have been addressed and the committee along with the GBPA and the Grand Bahama Power Company are working together to ensure the success of the parade.

"The Ministry of Youth Sports and culture has been helpful in donating and providing a guarantee to the Junkanoo committee 2000 seats, which will be constructed by C-cubed bleachers," Martinborough said. "We would also wish to add additional bleachers on the route if the need would be."

Martinborough said there will also be 40 vendor booths available that will be centred in and around the parade route of downtown.

Arthur Jones of the GBPA said that the organization is under a new season with new leaders who are excited to make this parade the best ever.

"As we all know a season has just ended at GBPA. The leadership level has begun a new season where you have persons who were born after the Hawksbill Creek Agreement was written now leading the company," he said

"Those young people are excited to lead and they would like to see things improve all around ... They were willing to do whatever is necessary and within their power to make this parade the very best," Jones said, adding that the new route will be an indefinite one.

Wellington Moultrie, GBJC junior Junkanoo coordinator, noted that traditionally Junkanoo was performed from darkness into daylight.

"We reversed the Freeport parade in 2003 from sunlight into darkness. The greatest concern the Junkanoo groups had is will we be able to properly judge their costumes in the darkness," he said

"We were able to get the Grand Bahama Power Company to support the committee to have the roads properly lit. We can assure you that they are on board and they are willing to do whatever it takes."

Another concern, Moultrie said, is the security of the 2,000 kids who are expected to participate in the junior event.

"There were a number of lots that we were concerned about that had very high bushes and we thought that they were not safe. However, the GBPA has agreed to clear those lots down and have already begun doing so," Moultrie said.

"We are doing whatever we can to give the public the confidence that the venue will be very secure."

He furthered that the new route will also increase parking and vendors will be placed in the best spots to make a profit, adding that security will also be strictly enforced at both events.

Moultrie said the majority of the Junkanoo leaders have now agreed with the change and that is all that they can ask for.

"We have addressed a lot of the issues that they have shared and the majority of them are on board," he said.

The senior parade is scheduled for New Year's Day with nine confirmed groups and the Junior Junkanoo parade is expected to take place on January 9, 2010 with 18 schools participating.

Leading up to the parade, the committee will host Junkanoo judge workshops from December 1 - 3 at the Local Government Confer-ence room on West Atlantic Drive, 7 o'clock nightly. Outlets for ticket sales will soon be announced.

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