Free National Movement Senator Tommy Turnquest yesterday called on the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Neville Wisdom to come clean with a full report on the 12 days of Christmas festivities, including the monies spent on bleacher rentals, or resign his Cabinet post.
At a press conference at the FNM’s headquarters on Mackey Street , Senator Turnquest said he is giving Mr. Wisdom until next Friday to give an accurate and complete financial accounting on the Junkanoo parades.
“We call on Minister Wisdom and the PLP government to detail all of the charges associated with the rental of the bleachers, including the more than $125,000 paid to Tropical Shipping for shipping charges and the labour and accommodation charges for the Canadian workers to install the bleachers,” Mr. Turnquest said.
While Minister Wisdom was unavailable to comment on the FNM leader’s charges yesterday and today, he has said repeatedly that the Junkanoo parades were a success and that he was confident that the government would pull in $2 million in profits from the controversial bleacher rentals.
While many bleachers remained empty throughout the Cable Beach float parades and the two major parades on Bay Street , many spectators commented that the system appeared more organized than in past years.
But Minister Wisdom remains embroiled in controversy over his decision to bring in the bleachers. He is scheduled to hold a press conference tomorrow to discuss the matter in detail.
Minister Wisdom is certain to face even more pressure from critics when the House of Assembly meets next week.
Senator Turnquest, who was accompanied by some of his FNM colleagues yesterday, challenged Mr. Wisdom to state whether the Cabinet approved the rental of the bleachers from the Canadian company, Tower Scaffolding Limited, and for the increase in the seating prices.
“The Minister and the government sought this season to make such a hefty financial commitment in order to rent bleachers, valued at over $4.5 million, thereby effectively denying thousands of Bahamians and others from having close access to the parades, and the government now owes the Bahamian people a swift and honest evaluation of the whole situation,” he said.
Mr. Turnquest described the parade season as being riddled with controversy, poor judgment and scandal.
He called Mr. Wisdom’s decisions, thoughtless, careless, insensitive and illogical.
“The many, many empty bleachers seats, at every single one of the five different parades, presented a clear indication of gross miscalculation of public support for the new system, and a gross lack of understanding of what Bahamians expect of Junkanoo,” he said.
Mr. Turnquest pointed out that it was obvious that Minister Wisdom failed to do his homework resulting in the regular Junkanoo fans protesting by staying home or having to find standing room on Bay Street .
“The result is well over a million dollars of the taxpayers’ money has been wasted in what may have been a ridiculous scam of renting bleachers from abroad and it appears obvious that the “bragged about” expected profits will not materialize,” he said.
Senator Turnquest also called on Minster Wisdom to confirm or deny reports of a Cayman Island-based company with Bahamian beneficiaries that has connections with the Junkanoo bleacher rentals.
By Yvette Rolle-Major, The Bahama Journal
