TUCO forms 2 companies

Lutalo Masimba, President of TUCO.
Lutalo Masimba, President of TUCO.

The Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO) has launched two new companies to handle the two major revenue-earning shows put on by the organisation. This was revealed by TUCO president Lutalo “Brother Resistance” Masimba last week at the Marriott Courtyard.

Masimba announced the formation of Calypso Fiesta Ltd and Kaisorama Ltd to point the organisation in a new direction. He said it was about time, “we stand up” and make a move to become self reliant.

“We appreciate the relationship we have with the NCC and the line ministry, but it is time we move forward in a new direction,” he said. “The subvention given to us is not about making an investment, it is about producing a Carnival product for which we have to account, show how we spend the money given to us each year by audited accounts.

“These special-purpose companies will take the events forward. When we come out in the corporate arena looking for sponsorship, partnership or investors we will not hear, ‘TUCO looking for money again, ent the government giving them all that money?’.”

An emotional Masimba said, “We come out to do business and in business we know it has risk. We are prepared to take the necessary risk to move the organisation forward. If we get licks, so what, we have been getting licks. If we get pressure, we have been getting pressure. And if they tell we to make more with less we will say, ‘Welcome, you have finally reached our space.’”

Masimba said calypsonians are warriors who have built this nation, and they are also taxpayers. They are a proud bunch and if the subvention is not enough they will never go to the NCC or ministry begging for more, he declared. “There are things the subvention cannot buy. In fact, when you do the maths, this service to the nation is a distress to us. But we are not complaining.”

Masimba made it clear that TUCO is not a Carnival organisation but said it had found itself dancing to that drum because calypso is the music that drives Carnival. “But we never took the time to sit down and talk the business of Carnival. We have other things to do but we must have the willpower to do it.

“TUCO is a members’ organisation, not a Carnival organisation. We represent calypsonians, singers, musicians, writers. We have been wrestling with ourselves as an organisation responsible for calypso.

“We have found ourselves in the Carnival as an interest group as outlined in the Act of Parliament. We went along with it as the organisation involved with calypso, a music that is spiritual and powerful, a music which drives Carnival and has found that Carnival has heaped a yoke around its neck.”

Masimba said that in 1997, a Cabinet note gave TUCO responsibility to produce events to present a world-class product in Carnival to the world.

The gate receipts will be TUCO’s for administration and development. “Over the years if things don’t always go as planned, the special-interest group are the ones they hang out and say we are doing what we want.,” he said.

“Five years ago, gate receipts were controlled by the NCC, and we have asked many questions without answers. We were even told to go the the police. “But we not on that. We are going in a new direction and will approach the two main events with a different focus. The companies will be run by a board comprising the members of the executive and the managing director Mr Lennox London.”

Masimba said calypsonians spend about $18 million to produce the music for Carnival, long before any subvention is even given. “We feel we are big enough to say we want to point a direction for others to follow – every citizen, business and corporation. Forget what party card you holding. We have to make a conscious decision to give a little something to others who don’t have, not just for Christmas, but throughout the year.

“We understand the economic situation in the country and we know all have to get involved. We are about a global outreach, and hope people see the new direction we are pointing to.”

Comments

"TUCO forms 2 companies"

More in this section