The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

DION Miller, chairman of the Junkanoo Corporation of New Providence (JCNP), suggested Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg was blindsided by the government’s decision to allow both Valley Boys factions to compete in Category A of the Junkanoo parades, revealing he was with the minister when a press statement was released under the name of Mr Bowleg’s ministry.

“It came as a surprise to the minister and myself,” Mr Miller told The Tribune yesterday. “We were together just that Sunday night, the minister and the groups. That is a story within itself.”

The press release, dated December 8 and signed by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, said both the World-Famous Valley Boys and the Way Forward group would participate in the category A division, despite the JCNP’s longheld position that only Brian Adderley’s World-Famous group would participate in that category.

Mr Miller has accused the Office of the Prime Minister of meddling in the controversy.

In a leaked email to Mr Miller on Monday, Latrae Rahming, the communications director at OPM, denied efforts were underway to undermine the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture or its minister. “These are not separate entities,” he wrote. “There is only one government, and the government has one unified position.”

Mr Bowleg did not respond to calls or messages seeking comment up to press time.

In September, he told reporters he believed both Valley Boys factions should be allowed to compete in the main category of the parades.

“Junkanoo is there for the people,” he said at the time. “I mean, if it was my decision, in my opinion, I believe that both factions should have been given the opportunity to compete for a prize. That’s just my opinion.”