christmas

For many families, Christmas is a season of togetherness, a time when homes fill with laughter, shared meals, and family traditions. But for others, this Christmas carries a heavy silence.

Across the Bahamas, families are marking their first holiday without loved ones who are gone too soon, some lost to violence, accident, suicide or sudden tragedy.

For some, the absence is felt most at the table.

“Like somebody just literally killed somebody for nothing couple days before Christmas,” Dian Williams, niece of Mario Lockhart, the CEO OF Hard Core Security, shot and killed on Monday, told the Tribune.

Simple moments like cooking a favourite dish, decorating Christmas trees, and hearing a familiar laugh now carry a different weight. What was once routine has become a reminder of loss.

Shanique Griffiths’ son, 17-year-old Javaughn Deveaux was found dead on a track road off Gladstone Road, said she will not celebrate Christmas: “I’m not even checking to say go do my hair, go do my nails, go buy my clothes or plan to go do nothing for Christmas,” she told the Tribune. “I don’t want nobody by me for Christmas.”

Parents are struggling to explain grief to children. Spouses are navigating traditions alone. Adult children are learning what it means to celebrate without the voices that once anchored their holidays.

Latoya Adderley was expecting Christmas with Amare, her son killed in a motorcycle crash in Long Island last Thursday. “He said to me, ‘Now that you’re happy (with his report card results), Mommy, can I enjoy my Christmas?’

“I said, ‘Yes, baby, you can.’”

But she won’t get to share her gift with Amare and see him open it on Christmas day.

The holidays often intensify emotions, especially during a first Christmas after a loss. Memories are closer to the surface, and joy can clash with deep sadness.

Still, many families are finding quiet ways to honour those they’ve lost.

Some will light candles. Others will set aside a place at the table. Many will turn to faith and prayer to get through the day, as they seek comfort and understanding.

Despite the pain, families say love remains.

Families are hurting, but still thankful for the time they’ve spent with their loved ones, holding onto precious memories.

The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture are bearing the brunt of public scrutiny after producing a virtual version of the country’s Junkanoo celebration on New Years Day.

Some people took to social media to air their frustrations describing the event as a low-budget production, prompting the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture to remove the link to the Junkanoo event from social media.

Social media users who did not get a chance to view the virtual event lamented that they could not find the link.  When CSJ Report searched the ministry’s page and ZNS’s page on Facebook, the link could not be found.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg has since apologized for the poor production and made public the spending that accounted for the virtual event.

To abscond blame, he clarified the ministry’s dealings with the production, stating that it was a private contractor who won the bid to record and produce the event which was aired on ZNS and Facebook.

He stated that the total spending for New Providence, Grand Bahama, and Family Islands accounted for $300,000, adding that a $126,000 stipend was given to Junkanoo groups– $11,000 to seven Category A groups and $7,000 to seven Category B groups.

He said $24,000 was spent on production and advertising while $200 was spent on audio advertising.

The remaining balance of the $300,000 will be spent on the virtual parades for Grand Bahama and the Family Islands, the statement read.

The big story

For the second time, in-person Junkanoo which is held twice a year, has been canceled due to the pandemic. Last year, the ministry hosted a virtual recording of the parades. There were no cash prize awards, but winners were announced.

Valley Boys won the virtual event; Saxons Superstar took 2nd place; One Family came third and Roots was fourth place.

Prime Minister Philip Davis is in COVID isolation following close contact with a family member who tested positive for the infectious disease.

In a COVID-19 Ministry of Health press briefing, Davis spoke from his home while in quarantine, stating that he was exposed to COVID-19 by visiting family members from the United States.

Though he tested negative after multiple testings, he is quarantined to ensure he is not ill and to prevent passing the virus on to others.

His wife, Marie Davis, and other family members tested positive for the virus, he said, though they were fully vaccinated.

The big picture

COVID 19 cases in the country are climbing after months of a lull.  Twenty-six cases were reported on Monday, 73 reported on Tuesday; and 140 cases on Wednesday. Though the new variant, Omicron has not been found in the Bahamas, health officials said they are monitoring the situation closely and have sent samples to Panama for testing.

Why it matters

Health officials around the world have described the Omicron as milder than the Delta variant but more transmissible.  In fact, It has overtaken Delta as the dominant strain in the USA and the UK.

Officials fear that the Christmas holidays will cause an explosion of new cases, resulting in overwhelmed hospitals, and deaths among people who are immunocompromised.

What Prime Minister Davis says

Davis said the country should expect difficult weeks ahead, as health officials gauge the increase of infections in the country and in Florida.  He said his government will operate as if the virus is already here and is preparing to distribute medical-grade masks; introduce new measures at the border– Bahamians and visitors will have to test negative within 3 days instead of 5; restrict indoor gatherings to 20 people and outdoor gatherings to 30 people; extend the vaccination program to the inner-city communities.

The Christmas Carnival will open regardless of the Ministry of Health’s decision for it to operate or not as health officials worry that COVID-19 cases could rise amidst threatening levels of the Omicron virus around the world.

Attorney Bjorn Ferguson, a lawyer for the company that operates the rides, spoke to the Nassau Guardian standing firm in the company’s decision to operate nonetheless.

Ferguson said the carnival was ready to open on Wednesday night.

As of late Wednesday night, the group was reported to be in a meeting with health officials and a conclusion had not yet been made on whether or not the company, McCafferty’s Enterprises Bahamas Limited, will be permitted to operate’ and its application approved.

“That body does not have the authority in law to shut a business down. That is our position. They exist to provide guidelines and issue protocols and approve protocols from various businesses and industries,” Ferguson said.

He said his clients were only in the meeting to await the ministry’s approval of its COVID 19 protocols and to add more guidelines to ensure a safe environment.

“We’re not going to open without protocols.”

“If they don’t respond to us, then the protocols that we have submitted we’re going to presume that they are sufficient to operate in this environment. We want their input. They’re the scientists.

“They have a statutory function and, so, we want their input and we want to remain compliant with the law. So, we resubmitted the protocol document as required and requested by law.

“We’re waiting for that document to be approved. If it’s not approved, then we’re waiting on guidelines to be issued or some protocols to be issued by the ministry,” Ferguson said.

The big story

The pandemic has threatened the opening of the Carnival which became an annual event for families. This year, it became controversial since government sought to open it while infections spread.

The Ministry of Health initially denied the application for its operation in the country, even though the owners were setting up for operation.

When faced with accusations by former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, Health and Wellness Minister Michael Darville denied granting the approval, while the Prime Minister Philip Davis has remained mum. The operators said they were given permission by Davis.

A letter tabled by Senator Maxine Seymour on Tuesday, purportedly showed that the Carnival company was granted access by the Ministry of Finance who granted the Progressive Liberal Party temporary approval to bring in “equipment, apparatus, trailers and supplies” for the event.

It remains to be seen whether or not the ministry will approve the operation of the event; and if not, how the Carnival company will respond.