At a press conference held on Tuesday Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, the Hon. Mario Bowleg announced that seed money allotted for the Valley Boys Junkanoo group has been placed on hold.

Bowleg told reporters, “I am requesting a meeting with the JCNP (Junkanoo Corporation New Providence), NJC (National Junkanoo Committee) and a few other stakeholders along with two persons from The Way Forward and two persons from the World Famous as they call themselves, both for Sunday evening.  So I want the media to know that we will be withholding the Valley Boys seed funding until that meeting takes place this coming Sunday.”

Leader of the Valley Boys:  The Way Forward, Trevor Davis responded to the Minister’s announcement saying, “we don’t have a problem with him withholding the seed money.  We understand that its a process and we’re willing to go through the process because we’ve been going through the process for the last few years.  I don’t the question is if this side is willing to unify.  This side has been willing to unify from day one.  And so that question should not be directed at The Way Forward side.  Remember now, we’re the ones who’ve been asking for elections, we’re the ones who’ve been asking for transparency and accountability, we’re the ones who left a proposal on the table for the last few months for them to come to terms with.  It’s them who’ve been refusing.  We were always willing.  We understand that there is one Valley Boys and we want to continue to be one Valley Boys.”

A representative of the World Famous Valley Boys could not be reached for comment.