The Junkanoo Corporation New Providence (JCNP) is facing a thunderous chorus of outrage as revelations emerge that the organization, responsible for managing the heart and soul of Bahamian culture, has not been above board. The JCNP has been charging VAT on Junkanoo tickets for years, yet hasn’t paid a cent of that VAT to the Government since 2018. That’s more than five years of unaccounted-for tax money, and the question on everyone’s lips is simple: Where did the money go?
The JCNP’s annual revenue from ticket sales and sponsorships exceeds $1 million — not a small change. But if that’s true, why are Junkanoo groups, the lifeblood of Bay Street, still scraping together funds to parade? Why are costumes unfinished, drummers unpaid, and groups begging for prize money that should have been in their hands long ago?
The JCNP’s financial track record reads like a scandal waiting to happen. No audited financial report has been submitted to the government in more than five years. Corporate fees have not been paid in over a decade. VAT payments have not been made since 2018. The lack of accountability is staggering for an entity that enjoys the privilege of managing one of The Bahamas’ most treasured cultural events.
The Bahamas Herald was reliably informed that the Department of Inland Revenue has launched a full-scale audit into JCNP’s financial management and VAT compliance. One insider said, “The audit will follow the money — and there’s a lot of money to follow.” The auditors will scrutinise every ticket sold, every sponsorship collected, and every VAT charge. The public has had enough of vague answers and disappearing funds.
While the drums of Junkanoo echo through the streets each Boxing Day and New Year’s morning, behind the scenes, it appears the rhythm has been one of neglect, mismanagement, and secrecy. How can a corporation that has failed to pay its own corporate fees — a fundamental legal obligation — continue to expect taxpayer funding? It’s a slap in the face to the groups and communities that make Junkanoo the nation’s pride.
Meanwhile, Junkanoo groups are left waiting for prize money — funds the JCNP should distribute. Many have complained for years that payments are delayed, inconsistent, or vanish into thin air. The frustration is boiling over. “We make the show happen,” one group leader said, “but the people handling the money can’t even show us where it goes.”
As the audit deepens, Bahamians are demanding answers — and accountability. Until the JCNP can prove complete financial transparency and compliance with the law, government officials have reportedly been instructed to freeze all engagement and funding.
The message is loud and clear: no compliance, no cash.
For years, the JCNP has danced to its own beat. With an audit bearing down and public trust in tatters, that beat might finally end. The people deserve answers. The culture deserves better. And the Government — and taxpayers — want their VAT. The JCNP is a sieve.
It is now clear that the real story behind the scenes is that the JCNP is making mischief because someone must know where such a large amount of money was disappearing after every parade. The sale of the vest was another “money grab!”
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