By OSWALD T. BROWN
WASHINGTON, D.C., December 26 — It seems as if ZNS-TV ended its live broadcast of the Boxing Day Junkanoo Parade around 8:30 AM without showing the “first lap” performance of ONE FAMILY, one of the perennial top contenders among the “A Groups.” The question has got to be asked, “Who makes such decisions at ZNS?” The argument can’t be made that it was an “economic decision,” because ZNS is subsidized by the Government of The Bahamas by millions of dollars annually and Bahamians living on the various Family Islands and those living in the world-wide diaspora – like myself, who lives in Washington, D.C. – depend on ZNS’ live feed to join in the excitement of watching the Junkanoo Parades.
I am a die-hard MIGHTY SAXONS fan and, thankfully, I did get to see the superb performance of my beloved SAXONS before sleep and fatigue forced me to make the decision to go to bed. I got up “kind of late” during the performance of ROOTS around 6:30, fully expecting to see at least one or more of the “A Groups,” but unfortunately, ROOTS was the final “A Group” to be broadcast live.
Earlier in the night, ZNS News Personality Shenique Miller, the host of that segment of the live broadcast, read a series of emails received from around the world – as far away as China – from individuals commenting on how much they were enjoying the parade. This should have given her an indication that it would be a travesty if these viewers did not get to see all of the “A Groups” at least once. On her next THE CONVERSATION talk show, I think it is incumbent on Shenique to make a public apology on behalf of the management of ZNS for being so shortsighted by not fully appreciating the support Junkanoo enjoys around the world.
Money certainly should not be an issue because, as I noted, ZNS is heavily subsidized by the Government and televising the parade should be categorized as a “service to Bahamian taxpayers.” What’s more, given the interest that Junkanoo generates around the world, if money is the problem, financial support for the broadcast should be a “line item” in the Ministry of Tourism’s budget because I am sure some potential visitors to The Bahamas may decide to “book” their visits to The Bahamas to coincide with the Junkanoo parades.
Having expressed my absolute disappointment in the shortsightedness of ZNS News management, my beloved SAXONS put on a parade-winning performance, but since I did not see the VALLEY BOYS and ONE FAMILY, I shall not be able to make an informed decision when the results are announced later today as to whether or not “they rob us again.”
Indeed, I suspect that because Prime Minister the Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis actively participated in the parade as a member of the SAXONS, which he has done from he was a young man growing up Over-the-Hill, partisan politics may very well be the catalyst for penalties not at all related to Junkanoo to be imposed against the SAXONS.
I would certainly hope that the judges who were selected to determine the results of the parade do not allow their political affiliations to influence their decisions for or against the SAXONS because the Prime Minister enjoys participating in one of the premier expressions of Bahamian culture – as was also the case with the late Sir Lynden Pindling and Perry Christie during their tenure as Prime Minister.
But the toxicity of the political atmosphere in The Bahamas has reached the point where stupidity dictates some of the responses on Facebook, like the asinine comment made under the photo of Prime Minister Dr. Minnis rushing.
As far as I am concerned, I have prepared myself to accept the decision of the judges, although I have no way of determining whether I can legitimately say “they rob us” because I did not see performances of several of the other “A Groups.”
