They, Ronnie Butler, Fred Ferguson, ronald Simms et al, say it is MOST unfair for the Min of Tourism to hire the Defence Force pop band to play at the event instead of hiring a local band who depend on events such as that to earn a living.

This is from The Bahama Journal..

The Ministry of Tourism and Aviation has produced a list that it says is not exhaustive of the local entertainment acts it has supported over the years in a comeback to the criticisms that a few entertainers lodged recently.
The Ministry of Tourism and Aviation has produced a list that it says is not exhaustive of the local entertainment acts it has supported over the years in a comeback to the criticisms that a few entertainers lodged recently.

Last week, Fred Ferguson, Ronnie Butler and Ronald Simms, took the ministry to task for hiring the Royal Bahamas Defence Force pop band for the 12th Annual Cacique Awards over local, professional musicians who depend exclusively on contract work to earn a living.

They claimed they and their counterparts were not getting the respect and the support they deserve from the government and local businesses.

The ministry has now come out with a three page list of events and local acts that it has hired over the years, which includes some of the individuals who have been critical of it, as proof of the high level of support it has given to local entertainers over the years.

"The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism fully supports the fair treatment and comprehensive representation of Bahamian entertainers, musicians, artists and artisans," said the new statement.

"These groups represent integral components of our tourism product, as they are the very elements that distinguish the islands of The Bahamas from our regional competitors."

Tourism officials explained that performances by the country’s Police and Defence Force bands, at home and abroad, tend to imbue a special sense of pride in Bahamians.

They said the use of the Defence Force Band during the Cacique Awards - a black-tie affair, and the industry’s biggest night - is the ministry’s own vote of confidence in the band and demonstrates just how highly it regards the group’s hardworking musicians.

"It is merely a continuation of the ministry’s efforts to ensure that such talent is duly granted a national spotlight, and a demonstration of the tourism ministry’s prerogative to do precisely that," added the statement, which echoed points already made by Tourism Director General Vernice Walkine.

"…The Ministry of Tourism stands firmly behind its record."

On the list that the Ministry of Tourism produced were Fred Ferguson and the Tingum Dem Band; Ambassah; The Cacique Stage Orchestra, Edwin "Apple" Elliott; Abigail Charlow; Marvin Henfield and Cheryl Johnson, among others, dating back to at least 1996.

The musicians who lodged the complaints said the point of their argument was that members of the Defence Force pop band are being paid regular salaries while other bands who should have been favourably considered might "get a track once or twice a month for two or three hours."

"That’s totally unfair," Ronnie Butler said at the time.

"[Using] military organizations because they can work for basically free or [you can] just give them an honorarium, you’re now going to eliminate [groups like] The Falcons, Visage, Extra, and Ambassah who did a great job for the show for the last two years," Fred Ferguson added.

Last year, the ministry placed a special focus on the promotion of local performers in highly trafficked tourist areas. However, Mr. Ferguson said that’s hardly enough.



They were on 102.9 last week saying how they intend to demonstrate if the MIn of Tourism does not reverse its decision.

There are probably a good number of musicians playing fa the RBDF band trhat would like to go pro, and this is a good venue fa them to get their music heard. Like most things there are more than one view.