Batabano makes bid for re-routed carnival

| 01/04/2022 | 66 Comments
Donna Myrie-Stephen (photo courtesy of Batabano)

(CNS): Organisers of Batabano have made the necessary applications for a full-scale carnival this year, hoping that COVID-19 protocols will no longer stymie the party. Batabano Chairperson Donna Myrie-Stephen said that this year’s event will culminate in Camana Bay, where for the first time masqueraders will be able to cross a full stage to the Festival Green owned by the Dart Group.

Now that tourists are being welcomed back, Cayman is in a position to allow national cultural events to resume, Myrie said.

“Our applications are in to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) and to the government’s Cabinet Office for the necessary permission to host our national carnival this year,” she said.

“We expect favourable responses in light of the approvals given for other parades to take place last summer under similar regulations, coupled with the current efforts being made by government and the private sector to reignite the country’s tourism industry, for both land and sea.”

Myrie explained that the parade will take a different route because of the road works around Seafarer’s Way in George Town, where the carnival usually culminates with a street dance. This year, the plan is for the parade to start on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, proceed along West Bay Road as usual, but then turn towards Camana Bay, where masqueraders will get to cross a stage for the first time in Batabano history.

There will also be a festive Carnival Village, Food Festival, and Las Lap Fete into the night for masqueraders and other patrons.


Share your vote!


How do you feel after reading this?
  • Fascinated
  • Happy
  • Sad
  • Angry
  • Bored
  • Afraid

Tags: , ,

Category: Art & Entertainment, Local News

Comments (66)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Anonymous says:

    WHy are carnival promo events and parties happing now, during Lent?!!
    Mos Caribbean countries know better than to jump mas during the Easter festivities.
    Bad example Cayman!

  2. Anonymous says:

    Poor manā€™s CayMas.

  3. Wye? says:

    Why persist with this embarrassing effort to invent culture and history?

  4. Anonymous says:

    “national cultural events”

    Hehe

  5. Anonymous says:

    The amount of junk, disposable, plastic stuff used in this kind of parades, walks, runs etc. is enormous. Just look at the photo-she is holding a plastic cup in her hand.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Tacky, tacky, tacky.

  7. Anonymous says:

    Itā€™s just a Porn Parade for the wickedly ignorant.

    If canā€™t celebrate with you close on then your low class ignorant animal.

    Never understood why people have to associate less clothing with a party unlessā€¦ā€¦itā€™s all about rape.

    CNS: if you only had the numbers for how many women are raped during these carnivals. And how many of those are married women that never tell their husbands. Every local mental health consular knows this is true.

    The greed promoters in it for only the cash, hiding the truth behind ā€œitā€™s a cultural thingā€. My children’s school has never taught and of this in their history lessons.

    • Anonymous says:

      I donā€™t know about all that, but it does promote lewd behavior and adultery. It should certainly be considered immoral based on Caymanā€™s so-called Christian values. It is interesting that Dart is now supporting this sex festival, which is definitely not family friendly.

    • Please! says:

      1. the organizers cannot be held responsible for how individuals party
      2. calling people “ignorant” and “animal” does not make you better than anyone else
      3. Dart is a business and they lease their facilities to whichever entity they please
      4. If you can back your rape allegations with evidence that CNS can corroborate, then send it to CNS, nah?
      5. If you are unhappy with the schools not teaching about partying safely, take it with the Ministry of Education

    • Anonymous says:

      It is nothing to do with Cayman culture. An import from Trinidad. A blemish on us.

  8. Anonymous says:

    Why is everyone in the comments so upset. Maybe you need a good time to lighten TF up. If you dont like carnival don’t watch.

    We hate seeing the pasty drunk people on seven mile beach or at Karroo for happy hour, but its okay cause those people turn red in the sun.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Cayman culture not represented by Batabano.

  10. Anonymous says:

    I suggest there be protocols against lewd behavior too.

  11. Chris Johnson says:

    For those interested in the history of Batabano it was the Brian child of the late David Peynado whilst he was Presdent of the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman. For many years it was organized by Rotarians. As one who was involved at the time I can assure readers that it was all good clean fun and even children came out to enjoy the parade.

    • Chris Johnson says:

      Oops. Meant brain child.

    • Anonymous says:

      I was at the first. It started and ended in George Town. It felt Caymanian back then. Nowā€¦ itā€™s just nasty. I remember the last time I went, a group of participants start dry humping in the middle of North Church Street near Casanovaā€™s. There was a tourist lady there with two kids. Obviously, she had no idea of the lewd public displays that go on in these parades and quickly led her kids away. But the look in her face was one of horror. Itā€™s really not a good look for Cayman, especially on public streets. Let them go to Camana Bayā€™s festival green and make them stay there if they must continue this obscene ritual. Maybe Uncle Ken will build them a Golden Calf!

  12. Anonymous says:

    Meanwhile, another study published, this time with 371,463 subjects, reaffirming (again) that there is no amount of good alcohol consumption:

    https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2790520?resultClick=3

  13. Anonymous says:

    Bad enough that West Bay Road used to be closed for what is now a corporate marketing and public littering fiasco, now West Bay Road and Esterley Tibbetts too? A big percentage of the island’s population will be held hostage to these rolling bars and billboards, not to mention our bewildered guests that are left wondering what Digicel has to do with obese drinking and simulated fornication. Terminating at the mall with no parking.

  14. Anonymous says:

    Stupid

  15. Anonymous says:

    Keep them out of Camana Bay . Disgusting behavior
    Nothing to do with Cayman .

  16. watcher says:

    If only it were just “shaking”, most of us could live with that. It’s the caterpillar-like motive dry-hump that has some of us weirded out. Sure don’t want to bring your kids; there is no way to explain such a sight in a way that makes it sound reasonable.

  17. Anonymous says:

    Keep Batabano in Batabano.

    • Jah Dread says:

      First of all this Parade a,led BatBano is not a Cultural event zMs. Myrie, it is a copy cat event mirroring Trini Carnival. That many Caymanians have gone there and relished the vibes and got slovenly drunk girating through Port of Spain does not make BatabNo a Caymanian cultural event.

      No offense meant, just setting the record straight. Too much of our ā€œ cultureā€ is being rewritten with everybody keeping quiet.

  18. Anonymous says:

    And now Dart has Batabano as well. Just wait – soon itā€™s all going to be VIP tents and and paid ticket access, packaged for the hotel tourists to gawk at locals on display.

    • Anonymous says:

      Its a local carnival for local people. There’s nothing for you here.

      • Anonymous says:

        Donā€™t worry. This tourist would have no desire to go, gawk or spend a penny to attend that event.

        • Anonymous says:

          Obviously never watched League of Gentlemen – its a quote, from the TV series, parodying xenophobia.

      • Anonymous says:

        No. It is a Trinidadian based Carnival, with very few ā€œlocalā€ people, and is certainly NOTHING to do with Caymanian culture.

      • Anonymous says:

        01 @ 2:22pm – Batabano is not for “local” people. It’s a recent import (the 1990s) and was created by a Guyanese and a Jamaican to replicate Trinidad’s style carnival in Cayman.

        It is not, culturally, a Caymanian thing. Imported like most everything else.

        And yeah, the behaviour of many participants is disgusting!!

        An un-impressed Caymanian

        • Guido Marsupio says:

          In the early ’80s, there was a nice outdoor festival of sorts, called “Jump Up” I think, very informal, some live Reggae, beer sold from coolers. Back in the day it was visitors and Caymanians together having a good time. Miss that.

        • Anonymous says:

          This is accurate.

          • Anonymous says:

            Plenty Caymanians take part and act has bad as the Trinidadians and Jamaican. It is true itā€™s not Caymanian historical culture, but culture is as people do and Caymanians love this nasty business just as much now.

    • Anonymous says:

      So going back to its roots as a fundraiser then, right?

  19. Al Catraz says:

    “national cultural events”

    Celebrating the longstanding heterosexual cultural tradition of booty shaking.

  20. Anonymous says:

    Dearie, dearie me. So instead of the centre of town, Camana Bay will be full of pissed up Jamaicans grinding their way around what is essentially a family orientated area. Get a grip Donna! RCIPS, please, please, please object to this ‘cultural event’. It has zero to do with Cayman.

    • Anonymous says:

      Jamaicans? Youā€™re so ignorant.

    • Based Caymanian Pepe says:

      It’s based but I will allow it. How dare you imply that daggering and dancehall isn’t as Caymanian as Turtle Stew and putting each other down.

      As as 175th Generation Caymanian myself I support this message and that all the imported pieces of skirt should be allowed to flaunt their thing.

      Whatsapping Alden and the boys and the lodge to make sure this happens.

  21. Anonymous says:

    They should follow the same rules that were imposed on the Pride Parade. Fair is fair.

  22. Anonymous says:

    So garbage and the monsters who participate in it, jeez cover up it’s ghastly.

  23. Anonymous says:

    Cancel the despicable perverted “carnival”.

  24. Anonymous says:

    Should finish at The Daily Grind.

  25. Anonymous says:

    Oh please so over Batabano!!!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.