GRAND BAHAMA, The Bahamas — The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture has advised that the 2023 Grand Bahama Junior Junkanoo Parade which was scheduled for Saturday, February 11, 2023 has been postponed to Thursday, February 16, 2023, due to impending inclement weather.

After a three-year hiatus, 24 schools, from preschool to senior high, are set to participate in the highly-anticipated cultural event.

Cultural Affairs Officer in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, Monique Leary explained and has advised that all tickets sold for the parade will be honoured on the new date and asked the community to come out and support the youth of the nation.

“They have been preparing and working extremely hard to put on a wonderful presentation for the community of Grand Bahama. So we just want to say to the public that the parade is still on and we hope to get the same support,” she said.

Chief Superintendent Brian Rolle, Second officer in Charge of the Grand Bahama District, pointed out that the role of the Royal Bahamas Police Force is to ensure that the parade is safe from criminal activity and participants and spectators enjoy themselves.

He also issued a stern warning to anyone intent on attending the parade with nefarious motives to stay away and assured that the Police Force will patrol the entire circumference of the parade.

“The entire parade area has been designated as a zero-tolerance crime zone, meaning there is no debate whether you choose to commit an offence you may be arrested.  Instead, we’d just like to say you will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” he said.

Chief Superintendent Rolle noted that the parade has also been deemed an alcohol-free zone and further warned that it is against the law for anyone under the age of 18 to be in possession of, or consume any alcoholic beverage.

The Police Command Centre will be located in the Kipling Building on McKenzie Street for the duration of the parade and the public may also use the regular emergency lines to contact the police.

As a result of the parade, the general public is further advised that the roads in the immediate Downtown area will be closed on Thursday, February 16, 2023 from 3:00pm to 12midnight.

Those closures will include East Mall Drive, between Adventurer’s Way and Explorer’s Way; Pioneer’s Way between East Atlantic and West Atlantic Drive; Kipling Lane between McKenzie Street and East Mall Drive; McKenzie Street between Adventurer’s Way; and West Mall Drive between Adventurer’s Way and Pioneer’s Way.

The police urge motorists travelling in the area to drive with patience, extreme caution, and care, and to use East Atlantic Drive or West Atlantic Drive for better ease of traffic.