Thunderbirds & Karnival Korner threaten legal action against judging of 2016 Adult Band of the Year

Thunderbirds and Karnival Korner carnival bands have threatened legal action against the judging and selection for the award of the 2016 Adult Band of the Year. 
 
Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) announced the winners of the Carnival road parades, on Friday February 12, 2016, stating that Afrikulture Stilt Walkers: Tempest Island Alive, is the Adult Band of the year for 2016.
 
In a letter to the DDA, dated February 17, 2016, Thunderbirds Band leader Caesar Emmanuel, and leader of the Karnival Korner Band Emmanuel Loblack expressed their “disagreement and opposition” to the results.
 
They reference a document entitled “Judging Criteria for Adult Band of the Year Carnival Tuesday parade Judging Time 11am to 2pm” and pointed out the following:
 

1. The Band must satisfy the following criteria to be eligible to participate in the competition and be adjudged Band of the Year.

 
* The Carnival Band bust be registered with the Dominica Festivals Committee
* Have a minimum of 50 adult persons
* Carry a banner measuring 4’ x 9’ depicting the title of the concept being portrayed
* Display its banner at the front of the band.
* Have a king and queen of the band and make at least two complete rounds around the route.
 
 
Loblack and Emmanuel pointed out that based on observation by video, and eyewitness accounts, the Afrikulture Stilt Walkers band “did not have a minimum of 50 adult persons, taken to mean persons of 18 years and over.” They also contend that the Band did not ‘make at least 2 complete rounds along the route’ in accordance with the guidelines.”
 
They added that “In the circumstances, we request that Afrikulture Stilt Walkers be disqualified as a participant, and as the winner of the Adult Band of the year, for having clearly breached the criteria to be eligible to participate in the Adult Band Parade on Carnival Tuesday and from having been adjudged 2016 Band of the Year.”
 
The two wrote that failure by the DDA to disqualify the Afrikulture Stilt Walkers or to provide a satisfactory response (including evidence that the Afrikulture Stilt Walkers did not on Carnival Tuesday violate the judging criteria) no later than February 26, 2016, will leave them with no alternative but to seek legal redress.