The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

AFTER falling in the standings from first to third place when penalty deductions brought the Superstar Rockers group its first win in six years, Platinum Knights leader Thomas Curry said the group intends to protest the unofficial results of the 2019 New Year’s Day Junkanoo Parade in Grand Bahama.

The loss was a major upset for the two-time defending champion, which won in every category and was the clear favourite by Junkanoo fans to win the parade. After the results were announced, police reportedly had to be called to the scene to quell the chaos, ZNS’ Northern Service reported. 

“A blind man could see who won that parade on Pioneers Way,” Mr Curry said, threatening to pull out of the parade in Grand Bahama.  “If this could happen, tell me if it makes sense for the Platinum Knights organisation to be a part of Grand Bahama Junkanoo.”

The unofficial scores, overall totals and the group’s standing were released on Wednesday evening by the Grand Bahama Junkanoo Committee at its headquarters in Freeport. Lawyer Kevin Russell, GBJC president, said persons had 72 hours to lodge their complaint with the committee.

According to the unofficial results for the Division A category, Platinum Knights won eight of the ten divisions, including execution of theme, group performance, music, overall costume, banner, choreographed dancers, best individual lead costume, and best off-the-shoulder.

However, when the overall totals were announced, the celebration for Platinum Knights group members came to an abrupt end when the Superstar Rockers group was announced as the unofficial winner after penalty deductions. 

Leader of the Superstar Rockers Chauncey Gray was surprised to learn his group won the parade.

“I am at a loss for words,” he told The Tribune. “You know we worked hard all year in the shack, and we had our trying times, ups and downs, and we had some sponsors come onboard. Oban came in a little late, and they really helped us get over the hump.”

Mr Gray thanked the group’s major sponsor Buckeye Bahamas Hub for its continued support over the past 20 years. 

“Every year they show their support to us. We are grateful for this win. I think it has been six years since we won. However, the Superstar Rockers, we are a major group, and we are always in the running. So year after year we go back to the drawing board and see where we went wrong, and this year we did it,” he said.

When asked how he felt about beating the Platinum Knights, Mr Gray said that the group needs to go over the paperwork and see where they went wrong. 

“We saw where they went wrong, so I hope they see it or else the same thing will happen again next year,” Mr Gray said. 

But Mr Curry was not pleased with the outcome. 

“I don’t know what to say about it,” Mr Curry said. “I can’t see you winning every category and coming on a parade flawless – I don’t know what the penalty is, but I know Platinum Knights was flawless on the parade.”

He added: “I heard some talks about the guys who were performing that their pants were decorated too much, but I know the rules, and it states 75 percent paste, 25 percent anything decoration.

“If this parade is going to be determined by that and by us giving our best foot forward, and you then you still get beat after winning every category, something got to be wrong. And if it continues like this, Platinum Knights organisation will never perform in Grand Bahama again. I can assure you that because for the past two months some things have been going on and we have been watching people from the other groups who have been hating.”

Mr Curry also claimed there was some swapping of numbers that determined parade entry among groups to put Platinum Knight at a disadvantage. 

“They put us out the gate first to try to get us to lose the parade, and you could see that clearly tonight,” he claimed. “We swept almost every category, and it has to be impossible for you to lose a parade in that manner.

“We will be protesting. The night of the parade that feeling of winning right then is gone and that is really discouraging.”

Mr Curry indicated that the group had been invited to participate in Junkanoo in New Providence and Abaco. 

“I am sure the people there would appreciate us. I know the fans here would miss us, and I talked to our sponsors and I told them if any funny business went on we will be relocating to Nassau and representing Grand Bahama, and that is what it is,” he said. 

Pastor Tyrone Thomas, head marshal for the Platinum Knights, said the results disheartened him.  

“It is unbelievable to me hearing the results and seeing Platinum Knights dominated almost every category, and to find out we finished third, not even second, but finished third after our performance,” Mr Thomas said.

“We dedicate ourselves to bringing a grand performance in Grand Bahama. We spend time in the shack making sure costumes were up to par, and persons from Nassau who came down for the parade told us that costumes are on par with Nassau,” Mr Thomas said. 

Wellington Wallace, the group’s costume director, said he was very disappointed with the results and is appealing to officials in New Providence to investigate the matter.

Mr Wallace said for the group to drop from first to third does not make sense.  

“I rush in Nassau, and I am in charge of the Roots Junkanoo group frontline costumes. I know the rules, and something is wrong, and we will get to the bottom of this,” Mr Wallace said. “I live in Nassau all my life. I don’t care how much points they deduct . . .nowhere you win everything, and you get third, something is wrong with that.”