The Boxing Day Junkanoo parade began last night after a 24 hour delay, Junkanoo group Genesis is seen here on their way through Rawson Square. Photo: Dante Carrer
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: Saxons are the overall winners of the Boxing Day Junkanoo Parade.
A DIVISION OVERALL:
1 Saxons
2 The Valley Boys
3 Roots
4 Genesis
5 One Family
– The Music Makers were disqualified
B DIVISION OVERALL:
1 Colours
2 Fancy Dancers
3 Immortals
4 Original Congos
5 Body of Christ
6 Conquerors for Christ
7 Foundation
8 Redland Soldiers
By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
JUNKANOO supporters mocked officials after inclement weather that forced the postponement of the Boxing Day parade never came –– but Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg said standard practices and scientific information spurred the change.
He said the Junkanoo Corporation New Providence and the Parade Management Team require clearance of no rain from the Met Office two to three hours before mobilisation.
The parade happened last night, with groups performing only one lap on Bay Street and one lap on Shirley Street to ensure the event ended in time for businesses to reopen. Ordinarily, groups do two laps on Bay Street.
This was the fourth time in 20 years the Boxing Day parade was postponed by at least 24 hours; it also happened in 2022, 2017 and 2004.
As in 2017, when the bad weather forecast did not materialise, people took to social media to question officials and spread memes.
After the parade was postponed in 2017, former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis summoned top Junkanoo officials, telling them dates for the parade should remain unchanged unless something catastrophic is expected.
“Any decision made by the JCNP and its stakeholders to postpone would have been based on the scientific approach by the experts from the Met Office, and that will always be the way we will move forward,” Mr Bowleg said yesterday.
Forecasts had shown a high chance of rain again on Tuesday, but Mr Bowleg said experts assured him there was a less than 30 per cent chance of rain during the parade window.
“I think the chances of rain, I was advised, might be between 20 to 25 per cent, which is below the average of rain and the wind knots less than 10 per cent,” he said. “I think the JCNP rule indicates that anything over 30 per cent chance of rain, that would have caused them not to want to proceed.
“But the percentage was much less than the 30 per cent that would cause them not to want to move forward. So everything is looking good.”
Comments
moncurcool 4 months ago
What scientific information? That there was to be no rain was clear on all sorts of weather channels.
buddah17 4 months ago
Better to error on the side of caution. Suppose that was YOUR costume that took you 3-5 months of work to make? Would you want to risk having it destroyed by rain, BEFORE you had the chance to show it off??
moncurcool 4 months ago
What rain?
All forecast were saying there was no rain coming. So there is nothing that is being risked.
ThisIsOurs 4 months ago
Interesting that the costume used for the photo is unfinished. Junkanoo is a mystery. They practice in open fields, people love it, flock to it, but then they argue, it dont sound good unless you on Bay St.
sheeprunner12 4 months ago
When is Basil Dean going to retire? I'll bet that he had something to do that weather forecast fiasco.
sheeprunner12 4 months ago
When is Basil Dean going to retire? I'll bet that he had something to do that weather forecast fiasco.
Much love to dem Saxons. Lol
ThisIsOurs 4 months ago
Why do we quote "error on the side of caution so much"? Since Dorian we've heard this alot with overhyped hurricane reporting. No matter how unlikely a storm is to hit us, people are driven into a frenzy to "prepare" because "better to be safe". No, its better to act on good information because it costs time and money to "prepare". And the constant false alarms lead to apathy.
I separate that from this. The air was quite damp on Tuesday and it could have very easily been a small rain shower. Ive noticed though that quite often their forecasts are off by several hours. Same happened last week with the gale warning. The promised rain was off by 24 hours. I dont question their competence, I question whether they have correct/sufficient resources to do their jobs effectively
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