Valley Boys Court Ruling Sparks NJC Response

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – More controversy with the popular Valley Boys Junkanoo group following a Friday night statement from the Brian Adderley-led faction of the Valley Boys, citing an interim court order.

That statement is now prompting a detailed response from the National Junkanoo Committee and the Ministry.

While the court has ruled that both groups may use the name Valley Boys, officials say the public deserves clarity on what that ruling does and does not mean.

The latest chapter in the Valley Boys name dispute began Friday night when the group known as World Famous Valley Boys, led by Brian Adderley, released a statement welcoming an interim court order.

In that release, the group said the Supreme Court ordered the Registrar General to restore its nonprofit status, directed the Department of Inland Revenue to reinstate its business licence and tax identification number, and ordered the National Junkanoo Committee to refer to the group as the World Famous Valley Boys Established 1958 in public and private correspondence.

The order, according to the statement, remains in effect until further direction from the court.

Less than 24 hours later, the Ministry and the National Junkanoo Committee issued their own statement, saying that Friday’s release did not fully reflect the circumstances leading up to the case.

The NJC says the Adderley-led faction was never accepted outright to participate under the name World Famous Valley Boys.

Instead, officials say the group was allowed to participate on a strictly conditional basis, with the clear understanding that it would be recognized as World Famous 1958 unless and until documentary proof was provided to support a claim to the Valley Boys name.

The Ministry and NJC say that documentation has still not been submitted.

Despite missing the original registration deadline, the group was allowed into the parade and even received seed funding, decisions the government says were made to protect the integrity of Junkanoo and avoid disenfranchising performers and supporters.

While the matter is before the courts, officials say they deliberately avoided referring to the group as Valley Boys to avoid prejudicing the process.

The NJC says it is disappointed the issue proceeded to court, maintaining that it took no side and that every decision was guided by fairness, transparency and the protection of Junkanoo as a national cultural institution.

With the matter still potentially subject to further legal review, the Ministry and the NJC say they will continue to act on the advice of counsel and in the interest of the Bahamian people.