The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

A PUSH to reunite the Valley Boys has failed, with the World Famous Valley Boys rejecting overtures from the breakaway Way Forward group.

The Way Forward Valley Boys, led by Trevor Davis, sent a February 16, 2026 letter signed by trustees Vincent King and Mark Bastian giving the World Famous Valley Boys seven days to respond to a call to “Reunite. Restore. Move forward together” and arrange a formal meeting.

However, in a statement to The Tribune, the World Famous Valley Boys said: “There are no discussions taking place regarding this matter. However, the World Famous Valley Boys invites individuals interested in joining or rejoining the group to apply through the online membership portal, reflecting the organisation’s commitment to fairness, transparency, and excellence in Junkanoo.”

The Way Forward’s proposal outlined a transitional team and a time-limited framework intended to reunify the organisation while respecting elected leadership and future elections. The trustees said a single organisation could help re-engage sponsors and stabilise operations.

“Our name was built on discipline, sacrifice, brilliance in design, and a culture of excellence that shaped Junkanoo history. That name now calls us to act not from pride, but from purpose. The continued division does not strengthen the Valley Boys brand, it fragments it,” the letter read.

The Way Forward faction said it stands prepared to “meet in good faith for the future of the Valley Boys,” adding that history would judge the moment.

“When called upon to choose ego or excellence, we chose excellence. When called upon to choose division or destiny, we chose destiny. When called upon to protect the brand, we chose unity,” the letter stated.

The Valley Boys split publicly in mid-2024 after months of disagreements over leadership, governance and control of the group’s direction. The fallout played out ahead of the 2024 Boxing Day and New Year’s Day parades, with both factions seeking official recognition to compete under the Valley Boys banner.

The dispute later moved into court, focusing on registration and administrative authority. Judges raised concerns about the Registrar General’s handling of rival registrations.

In October 2025, the Court of Appeal granted leave for a full appeal by the World Famous Valley Boys, describing it as “beyond belief” that an unauthorised group could secure registration without proper vetting under the Non-Profit Organisations Act and finding the Supreme Court had erred in dismissing earlier challenges.

Later in 2025, the World Famous Valley Boys secured an interim Supreme Court order restoring their non-profit status, directing the Registrar General to reinstate their business licence and tax identification number and instructing the National Junkanoo Committee to refer to the group as the World Famous Valley Boys Established 1958 in official communications.

The World Famous Valley Boys are scheduled to return to court in April 2026 over the use of the registered name.