By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

JUNKANOO groups are broadly supportive of the National Junkanoo Committee’s newly released rules for the Boxing Day and New Year’s Day parades, according to NJC Chairman Andrew Pinder, though several groups say concerns remain about how judges are vetted.

Groups told The Tribune they want clarity on the selection of judges, the training they receive, and the qualifications required.

One Family Chairman Vernon Rolle said leaders recently met to review the NJC rules, with much of the discussion centred on how the judging process will function under the NJC’s new management.

Doubts about the judging system have persisted for years. In January, frustration erupted among groups that described the process as broken and biased. Leaders from Genesis, Roots, Music Makers and the Junkanoo Commandos held a press conference at the time, stressing they were not “crying over” the Saxons’ recent parade wins but calling for fairness and transparency.

Mr Rolle said groups want answers about the number of judges, vetting protocols, and how volunteers being trained as judges will be compensated. “Our biggest, biggest challenge right now, the judges of the parade,” he said.

He said this year’s NJC rules are largely unchanged but noted the removal of automatic disqualification as a meaningful improvement for groups.

“We understand some groups are being threatened by sponsors because they were getting disqualified. We really want to take out the harsh word disqualified, and we'll just levy a heavy penalty on them,” he said.

“This shift allows the PMT and judges to address infractions in a measured and consistent way without removing groups from competition,” the NJC said in a statement.

Roots public relations director Kyle Stubbs pointed to a new requirement for all costumes to be QR-scanned at the entry gate — a move intended to strengthen eligibility checks, prevent category disputes and improve transparency. He said groups have long raised concerns when costumes awarded top prizes did not complete a full lap.

Mr Stubbs said some groups remain doubtful about the judging process because of past incidents.

The rules were presented to all participating groups at a meeting last Wednesday, chaired by Parade Management Team Chairman Douglas Hanna, and have been formally adopted for this season.

Mr Bowleg said any questions should be directed to the PMT chairman. Mr Pinder said the new rules ensure groups will not face disqualification this season and noted that eight A groups and 14 B groups are registered.