Band Leaders Demand Resignation of Carnival Association

There’s trouble tonight in Belize’s carnival world, big trouble. A group of band leaders is openly demanding that the executive of the Belize Carnival Association step down, accusing the organization of poor transparency, uneven prize payouts, and not giving bands the support they need. What had been quiet frustrations for years finally erupted today at a press conference, where those concerns spilled out in full view of the public. News Five’s Shane Williams has the story.

 

Shane Williams, Reporting

Tension is spilling into the open tonight within Belize’s carnival scene. Band leaders, long frustrated behind the scenes, are now openly challenging the Belize Carnival Association’s leadership and calling for a shake‑up. They say the real issue isn’t costumes or competition, it’s trust. According to them, the association has failed to be transparent about prize money and hasn’t been accountable to the very bands that keep carnival alive.

 

Pauline Bradley, Junior Band Leader, Soca Massive

“My biggest concern is whenever we in any competition, whether it is the king, the queen, the miss carnival, the junior and the senior road march. At the end of the September ceremony we get one cheque. We don’t’ know whether we win, the amount we win for first, second, third for king and queen. We don’t know what we win for first, second and third for road march. All we know we just on cheque. One total amount. So we don’t get a break down of the prizes.”

 

According to Bradley, that lack of clarity leaves band leaders unsure of how prize totals are calculated. Veteran senior band leader Audrey Bradley says the inconsistencies go even further.

 

Audrey Bradley, Band Leader, Soca Moca

“Who goes into a competition not knowing weh wi wa win, weh wi wa get? We the band leaders. Fi years wi di du that. Personally I’ve won the last five years and I personally can till unu I’ve gotten five different amounts, not the same. And most of the time I’ve won the same thing.”

 

For larger bands, the financial strain is even more pronounced. David Matus leads the biggest and perhaps most popular band, Titans, and he says they stopped competing years ago because it doesn’t make sense.

 

David Matus, Band Leader, Titans Mass Band

“We don’t even get a security, not a police, no kind of guidance, nothing. And then you are put at the end of the parade where all the competing bands are at the front and we understand that. But we make up a part of the carnival. We make up a big part of the carnival. Cause we are putting out three or four trucks. It is a lot of investment. We decided not to compete because of the rule book, the whole drama with the competition and the prize money is not worth it. You are competing for ten thousand. For the past twenty-eight years that I’ve been involved the prizes have not changed.  So the prizes are not working. The amount of money we invest into a carnival is you know over a hundred thousand.”

 

But it’s not just about money, band leaders also want answers about accountability. One of them is questioning whether a promised third‑place prize was ever returned to the National Celebrations Commission after both third‑ and fourth‑place bands were later disqualified. They’re now calling on the commission to clear the air and say exactly what happened.

 

Leroy Smith, Band Leader, Fort Revelers

“I have one question to Mr. Thomson, last year in one of the carnival meeting, Mr. Thompson had mentioned to me and Miss Patty about, me and miss Patty normally don’t have our numbers to take part in the carnival but because it is the fiftieth anniversary Mr. Thompson and the board of the Carnival association promised us that even if we don’t have our count to take part he will still grant one of us the third place prize but he disqualified both of us and he said he send back the money to NCC. So I am asking NCC, did they receive the third place money back?”

 

Ultimately, the frustration has led to a direct call for resignation. Pauline Bradley says several band leaders have already signed a letter of no confidence in the current executive, though the association has brushed it off as invalid. Still, she says the message from the group is loud and clear: they’ve agreed it’s time for new leadership.

 

Pauline Bradley

“We all agreed on asking them to step down. They say the letter of no confidence is invalid so we are asking them to step down. We need a new committee. We need to move forward and we are not moving forward. And that last meeting we had with them it was very disrespectful. It was a lot of chaos. They said some mean stuff towards us, like low blows. And soh I noh think unu inna the right mind to represent we any at all. Unu got to go. And that’s not only from me. We all agree to ask them to please step aside and give somebody else a chance.”

 

Denise Young says the band leaders aren’t trying to tear carnival down—they’re trying to help it grow. She says they want leadership that listens, supports the people investing their own time and money, and gives bands a stronger voice. According to her, this push isn’t about creating division; it’s about securing carnival’s future.

 

Denise Young, Band Leader, Belizean Jewels

“We really want carnival to be bigger, better like the minister said. Fi ih be bigger, better we have to have people who want do this. People weh want look pan the bands them as this da fi unu. Soh that we wa have a voice. Right now the band leaders noh have no voice. This da the first time literally I can see something like this the happen. This the tell yo now the band leaders really get tired, after so much years.”

 

Shane Williams for News Five.

 

Executive Stands Ground, Plans Continue for Carnival 2026

 

Even as band leaders turn up the heat and call for the executive’s resignation, the Belize Carnival Association isn’t slowing down. In fact, the leadership says it’s full steam ahead for Road March 2026. The executive meets this weekend to continue locking in plans for this year’s festivities, and they’ve promised a formal press conference next week to respond to the concerns and allegations raised at today’s fiery meeting. But in an initial response to News Five, President Patrick Thompson struck a firm tone. He acknowledged that his term is winding down, but he stressed that his executive is still very much in control and will remain at the helm through Carnival 2026.

 

Patrick Thompson, President, Belize Carnival Association

“From what we met with them, it’s all about the leadership, basically the leadership, and, like they all know that in our rule book state that the presidency term of office is four years, and my term of office ends after this year, carnival 2026. So after 2026, there will be an election where myself as the president will be putting out there to anybody who would like to take up the mantle to put their name in and run for the presidency.”

 

Shane Williams

“Do you see yourself being one of the candidate running this time?”

 

Patrick Thompson

“No, my time is up – will be up and I believe that I have done a lot. I have been the president for the Carnival Association for twenty plus years and during my tenure I have seen where we have took Carnival from one level to another level and let’s just hope my successor can take it to another level.”

 

 Shane Williams

“Another potential leadership group is already trying to move in.”

 

Patrick Thompson

“My executive will be running Carnival 2026. Because we had a meeting with the next group like you mentioned and they had realized that, hey, their term will be up after Carnival 2026. And they acknowledged that. So we are going with our regular planning for Carnival 2026 under my leadership and my team.”

 

Shane Williams

“What comes next?”

 

Patrick Thompson

“For me? Enjoy Carnival on the roadside.” 

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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