NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The fifth-place position of the Shell Saxons Superstars following the 2018 Boxing Day Junkanoo parade have left fans and its group members reeling, but despite their loss and the harsh attacks which followed, the group is planning to make a strong comeback for the New Year’s Day parade.
Within minutes of the results being released on Boxing Day evening, many fans took to social media to express that they had been “robbed,” while supporters of other groups criticized the group’s performance. Countless memes and even a song circulated, making a mockery of the Saxons Superstars who placed fifth in the A category.
Some fans even went as far as to claim that the group placed fifth because of recent comments made by Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis who, while addressing questions from the media about ongoing union unrest earlier this month, told reporters that the only thing he was only concerned about was whether or not the Saxons would win the Boxing Day parade.
The prime minister has been rushing with the Saxons Superstars for many years. He is not the first prime minister to rush with a major junkanoo group as former prime minister Perry Christie was a member of the Valley Boys.
Following the prime minister’s comment, his press secretary, Anthony Ace Newbold assured that he was only making the statement in jest and took the concerns of unionists seriously.
Despite the prime minister’s explanation, he was strongly lambasted by many for his comments.
Yesterday, the public relations director of the Saxons Superstars, Kendenique Campbell-Moss told Eyewitness News Online that the Saxons will always welcome the prime minister and his grandson to rush with the group. The prime minister, she said, is a citizen of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas and he is entitled to some degree of humanity.
“When the honourable prime minister made those statements he did so in jest…” Campbell-Moss said. “The Saxons Superstars stands behind him as a civilian and he has been a member [of the Saxons] for some 30-plus years.
“Junkanoo is our cultural expression and we want the entire Bahamas to know that in no way, shape or form did the prime minister mean any harm. It was a quick joke with a reporter, not a national address.”
Campbell-Moss said it would be “unfair” if judges took the recent comments of the prime minister into consideration as well as his presence at the parade while assessing the group’s overall performance.
“Further to that, we must look within our heart of hearts and examine ourselves collectively. We fell down, we will rebound and there is no need to point fingers,” Campbell-Moss stated.
Meanwhile, the theme of the Saxons Superstars on New Year’s Day is, “come celebrate with us.”
Campbell-Moss said they plan to execute its theme fully from its banner to its backline.
“We will be on Bay to defend our New Year’s title. The Saxons Superstars are a formidable force and we stand together in pursuit of unity to win this pending parade.
“All they did was increase our desire to win. We have been down and out before, suffered separations and we are rebounding. This is not the end of the world for us.
“We are the Mighty Saxons Superstars.”
The Saxons Superstars is seventh out the gate at the New Year’s Day parade.
