Making the announcement on Wednesday evening, the Hon. Paul Adderley, spokesman for the committee appointed by the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, determined that the Valley Boys won by three points.
Gross scores show the Saxons with 3,654 points and the Valley Boys with 3,627 points. However, after the penalties were considered, the Valley Boys had a net of 3,417; and the Saxons 3,414.
In their report, Mr. Adderley said, “Having heard the relevant persons involved being the Co-Chairmen and Statistician, we are satisfied that an honest mistake was made in calculating the Saxons’ penalty points as assessed on the basis of three scores, which caused the Co-Chairmen to alter the assessed score from 240 to 255.”
He continued that, “This mathematical error was corrected by the NJC within days, which was unfortunately too long for the emotionally charged atmosphere which the National Festival generates. We are satisfied that the Co-Chairmen acted without ulterior motives or intention to influence the outcome of the parade.”
Mr. Adderley said the three-member committee examined all the original score sheets of each of the eight judges whose scores provide the basis for the Group A results.
“We checked a total of 1,558 judges’ scores and identified 14 errors or miscalculations, two for costume, three for performance and nine for music,” he said.
Placing third in the Group A category was Roots with 3,129; One Family placed fourth with 3,103 points; In fifth place was Prodigal Son with 3,019 points; Music Makers came in sixth with 2,560 points; and Barabbas came in in seventh position with 1,890 points.
Other members of the ad hoc committee were Rev. Dr. Hervis L. Bain Jr. and Mr. Ishmael Lightbourne, a chartered accountant.
The Bahama Journal
