By Gerrino J. Saunders
Journal Staff Writer

After riding high for several weeks and seemingly having the upper hand in the
internal but public battle for the rights to the Valley Boys name, being first to
registered the name and recently laying claim to the Claridge Road shack, The
Way Forward Valley Boys faction will apparently have to swallow a bitter pill.
In a statement by the Junkanoo Corporation New Providence (JCNP) and the
Ministry of Youth Sports & Culture on Tuesday evening it was revealed that The
World Famous Valley Boys under the Chairmanship of Brian Adderley will
participate in the A- Division in the Boxing Day 2024 and New Year’s Day 2025
Junkanoo Parades.
The JCNP noted that the Adderley led Valley Boys have been registered with the
corporation since February 2024 while the Davis led Valley Boys are not, and so
made its decision after consultation with the Minister of Youth Sports & Culture
Mario Bowleg who met with both factions on two occasions on Sunday at
Bahamar and again Tuesday with attorney for both sides present in an attempt to
find a resolution that would result in the Valley Boys competing as one unified
group.
As a result of the JCNP decision The Way Forward Valley Boys section has been
invited to participate in the upcoming parades in the F Division (FUN Category),
something Mr. Davis says they will not accept and will fight the decision.
Minister Bowleg has since said that both Valley Boy groups should be allowed to
rush as category A groups.
Meanwhile, The JCNP which has managed the parades for the past 20 years
thanked the government for entrusting the corporation with the responsibility of the
management and execution of the annual National Boxing and New Year’s Day
Junkanoo Parades on New Providence and said the decision was made in keeping
with the JCNP’s rules and regulations.
Meanwhile, according to Minister Bowleg both factions will receive seed funding
for the upcoming parades.

He said in a statement that , “The Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture, in
keeping with our mandate to support and preserve the rich cultural heritage of The
Bahamas, and in particular the cherished tradition of Junkanoo, wishes to advise
that both the Valley Boys Junkanoo groups will receive seed funding in advance of
the upcoming Junkanoo parades.”
Bowleg said the government is committed to ensuring that all Junkanoo groups are
empowered to fully participate.
However, the Minister did not clarify if both groups will receive $30,000 donated
to all groups in the A Division, while groups in the F Division receive $2,000.
Other junkanoo groups received their seed funding last week.
Although relegated to the F Division, The Way Forward Valley Boys have shown
in previous parades like the Labor Day and Independence Day parades that they
have the numbers and ability to compete in the A Division.
After two years of internal strife mainly to do with the style of management by
chairman Adderley and those that support him including family members of their
iconic former leader Gus Cooper.
The Davis faction has said it is time to run the organization like a proper business
that would benefit the entire group and not an alleged slush fund for a few
individuals who he claims have not been transparent about funds the group
receives annually from the government and sponsors.
Additionally, the Davis faction is not pleased that there have been no elections of
officers within the group in years with the Adderley faction seemingly wanting to
hold on to power and the direction of the group indefinitely.

Mr. Davis, a shrewd businessman has said publicly that he has tried on at least 12
different occasions to meet with the Adderley faction to express their concerns and
find an amicable solution, but that the Adderley group refused to meet.
Just last week former prime minister and Valley Boys legendary founding member
Perry Christie is reported as saying his attempts to find a resolution to the divide by
suggesting there be elections were rejected by the Adderley led managing
committee.
For fans of the Valley Boys there may be a glimmer of hope that they can stay
together as there are unconfirmed reports that the oldest junkanoo group in the
country could possibly hold election in March of 2025.
Following the first meeting on Sunday that lasted approximately three hours
Minister Bowleg admitted that he did not realize how deep the divide was.
He said, “Obviously after deliberation with both sides it appears that a united front
is not seen right now. They don’t seem like they want to come together.”
Mr. Bowleg said both sides are passionate and hold strong views on their position,
but that there were some positive things that came out of the meeting including an
agreement to have a second meeting with “legal minds” that was held on Tuesday
to determine the best way forward.
He added that, “at this point this one seems to be a little deep and we are hoping
that at some point they will be able to see eye-to-eye because they once stood side-
by-side with each other as group members and as brothers and sisters in Junkanoo
and sometimes it takes a while for those wounds to be healed.