NASSAU, BAHAMAS — More than a dozen purported associates of the annual Christmas carnival were gathered at the site on Fort Charlotte last night, testing equipment and at least one ride.
A security personnel told Eyewitness News that the carnival remained closed to the public, but the associates were invited to have a “dry run, but socially distanced”.
The flashing lights of popular carnival rides, tents and stands illuminated the night sky.
The government was expected to provide a decision to operators who resubmitted applications for approval, but that position was not released up to press time.
Attempts to reach Minister of Health Dr Michael Darville were unsuccessful.
It remains to be seen if the government will provide that approval or denial today.
The event has been the subject of some controversy in recent days.
Some have expressed concern about the potential risk to public health with large crowds, especially younger people, attending.
An opening date was announced by operators and equipment set up when the government advised last week that the Ministry of Health had denied the request for the event.
Though the operator previously claimed that permission had been granted via the prime minister, it remains unclear who approved the operators to bring in equipment.
Last week, Press Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister Clint Watson asserted that suggestion was “absolute nonsense” and contended that “the prime minister has never spoken about this issue, neither has he been involved in this issue”.
Free National Movement Senator Maxine Seymour tabled a letter in the Senate of Monday that purported to show the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) was given approval by the Ministry of Finance to bring in the equipment for the event.
The operators have maintained cautious optimism that the even will permitted to open soon.
Meanwhile, FNM Leader Michael Pintard has called on the government to outline the approval process that the operators have to go through, noting that “multiple ministries dropped the ball with respect to addressing these particular issues”.
“We are encouraging the government [to] just give a simple chronology of the sequence of events, to admit the missteps that would have been taken in assessing this entire event.”
