By EARYEL BOWLEG 

Tribune Staff Reporter 

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis indicated during a meeting that he wants the ongoing Junkanoo dispute resolved, but stopped short of expressing an explicit position or outlining how he will intervene, according to a Junkanoo Corporation of New Providence (JCNP) representative.

JCNP public relations officer John Williams said there has not yet been a full discussion with chairman Dion Miller about the outcome of Friday’s meeting, and he could not say whether members were satisfied with the results.

“He said that he would try to connect us and the ministry and he just want everything solved just as we do,” he said.

“I’m not aware of any stances. I don’t think he said anything to say that he’s going to do this, we can’t do that, or there were no proposals made, nothing of that sort from what I understand,” Mr Williams said.

“He doesn’t really want to be involved. He doesn’t want to get in the middle of anything. I guess he wants to allow that specific ministry to handle it.”

Mr Williams said the JCNP hopes any upcoming meeting with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture will help resolve issues quickly, as ongoing disputes are slowing group progress. He said it is vital to move forward with preparations.

Youth Sports and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg has said the JCNP will not manage the upcoming Junkanoo parades.

Last Thursday, officials announced that Junkanoo on New Providence will take on a festival format from December 18 to January 1, with the main events being the Boxing Day and New Year’s Day parades.

Mr Williams said there was never any objection to the festival concept and noted it was not new.

Calvin Greene, deputy chair and grand marshal of the Parade Management Committee, previously said all A Groups would be allowed to compete and that disqualifications would be replaced with point deductions.

However, Mr Williams said relaxing certain rules would weaken the quality of the parade. He added that the current standards ensure a high-calibre event.

“These groups that are complaining about this disqualification just don’t come to the parade,” he said. “They’re not disqualified for simple things. They’re not making the numbers or what have you. A large number of them have not been to the parade in the past five, six years, resulting in DQs.”