Wesley College

The Junior Junkanoo Parade took place in MarshHarbour, Abaco on February 21, 2008

Wesley College placed 2nd in the All Age Division.

The result is under protest.

The judges awarded Moores Island first place with 4248 points and Wesley College second place with 3705 points.

Moores Island, the only other school registered in the division committed two serious breaches of the rules by allowing participants who were not students of their school, and by failing to be identified with a lead banner.

According to the rules provided to us, Moores Island should have been penalised for allowing some twenty persons, not students in the school, to participate in their performance, particularly in their brass section. We are informed that this brass section was brought in from another island. According to the Junior Junkanoo Rules and Regulations, specifically rule 2, “Participants must be enrolled in the participating school to be a part of the group.”  This is supported by Rule Eight. Moores Island should receive a penalty of twenty points for each illegitimate participant. This contravention would also have implications for judging the Best Music award for this category.

More seriously, Moores Island also failed to produce a lead banner. According to Rule Six: “ All groups must be identified by a lead banner which should correspond with names and themes listed on the registration form. The lead banner should have some crepe paper and the lead banner can have wheels.” This infringement should result in disqualification. In fact, under a strict interpretation of the rules, the group should never have been allowed to participate without a lead banner. Judges should have been aware of the fact that the production of a lead banner is the most expensive and demanding aspect of the preparation for the parade. It is also the aspect of preparation that demands team work.

Additionally, Wesley College wishes to peruse the Judges score sheets, as it is difficult to see how the judges arrived at their total if Wesley College was automatically be awarded the best banner award and points for the banner presented.

UPDATE: Mr. William Davis has advised that points were deducted for Moore's Islands lk of a banner and use of 5 brass members for junkanoo. This could only result from the most bizarre interpretation of the rules, or total ignorance of them. Wesley College will press the appeal to higher authorities. The judges' score sheets have not been made available.

UPDATE: Mr. William Davis has advised that points were deducted for Moore's Islands lk of a banner and use of 5 brass members for junkanoo. This could only result from the most bizarre interpretation of the rules, or total ignorance of them. Wesley College will press the appeal to higher authorities. The judges' score sheets have not been made available, and Wesley College has discovered that the Junkanoo Committee has hels several secret meetings since the event.