NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The organizers of a concert featuring Jamaican artist Shenseea said yesterday that they have received approval from the Ministry of Health to host the concert at a new date.
The event was previously slated for March 19 at the National Stadium Carnival Grounds.
According to Michael Ferguson or Guidance, who posted a new concert flyer for the event with the caption ‘Bigger the Better’, the Ministry of Health approved the concert for April 23.
When contacted on whether the ministry approved the concert, Minister of Health Dr Michael Darville told Eyewitness News that he would “need to check”.
He did not confirm the purported approval up to press time.
The new date and flyers advised that Guidance is organizing the concert in partnership with Phluid Factory, the promoters of the concert featuring Jamaican dancehall artist ‘Dexta Daps’, which the ministry denied approval twice last month.
In response to inquiries from Facebook users on whether Dexta Daps would also be showcased in The Bahamas, Ferguson said: “He’s shortly after.”
To another user, who suggested she still had her original ticket and had not been refunded for the canceled event, Ferguson said: “Dexta will be here in June, so you can keep it and we’ll honor it.
“If you are one of the few who didn’t get a refund. Option is yours.”
Last month, organizers of the highly-anticipated Dexta Daps Reggae Valentine concert committed to providing full refunds to ticket purchasers after the events slated New Providence and Grand Bahama were denied approval from the Ministry of Health.
At the time, Darville told the media that the application from the organizers had been denied twice, and if a third was submitted, it was “very unlikely” it would be successful.
He pointed to the continuing spike in COVID-19 cases in the country.
The epidemiology of the virus in The Bahamas has since changed.
New cases remain in the low, single digits per day.
Hospitalizations have been held at around 10 or fewer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention dropped The Bahamas travel advisory rating from a ‘Level 4: Do not travel’ to a “Level 3’, a positive sign from the US agency.
The government amended the Health Services Rules two weeks ago, allowing social gatherings indoors with no more than 40 people, up from the 20 previously allowed; and gatherings outdoors to 100 people, up from the 30 previously permitted.
Attendees of outdoor gatherings must be fully vaccinated or present a negative COVID-19 test.
This week, Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis announced a series of relaxations of
COVID-19 restrictions, including the easing of rules surrounding large events.
Davis said restrictions on recitals, regattas, in-person conferences, seminars or workshops and drive-thru cookouts will be relaxed and will no longer require submissions for review and approval by the health advisory committee.
