By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE Way Forward Valley Boys group will not get to compete for a prize in the upcoming Junkanoo parades, but members said they will still storm Bay Street this holiday season to prove they are the “real Valley Boys”.

Group members, led by Trevor Davis, spoke yesterday after Junkanoo and government officials announced that they will compete in the A category of the parades but not for a cash prize or place.

Executive member Deyvon Jones said the group’s mission is “bigger than Bay Street”. 

“The powers that be have made their decision, and I think the ultimate judge is going to be the public,” he said. “We’re not going to stop; we’re going to keep moving forward.” 

Mr Jones said morale within the group is high and their performance will showcase their passion and determination. 

“It’ll be quite a treat. You’ll get to see what one version of it is, or the attempt, and then you’ll get to see the real thing,” he said. 

Members said they had funded their efforts through grassroots initiatives, including cake sales, car washes, and community donations, without government seeding funds. Others sponsors include Think Simple, Breezes Resort, Mario’s Bowling, and Alpha Sounds. 

Senior group member Peter Turnquest expressed pride in the younger generation’s effort to bring reform to the Valley Boys. 

“Nobody likes a division,” he said.

“Nobody likes to be separated from your brother or your sister, but we realise that under the circumstances, this is where we are, and this is where we had to arrive in order to bring the reform to the organisation. 

“This is where we are. We’re fighting for a cause. I don’t know if anybody could criticise us for fighting for what we’re fighting for, which is honourable –– accountability and transparency; can’t ask for anything better than that. 

“So, you know, we feel good about it. We understand that the other faction of the Valley Boys has their own agenda, but we think we’ve got a bigger agenda. We got a bigger objective. We’ve got a bigger prize at the end of the day.” 

At their shack yesterday, members were hard at work pasting their pieces. Mr Davis declined to speak.