‘Massive’ hits back over ‘Rowley Mudda Count’ ban: Boycott Chutney Soca Monarch

Nermal “Massive” Gosein yesterday called on all “right-thinking citizens”, to boycott next year’s Chutney Soca Monarch show in protest over show promoter George Singh’s decision to ban his controversial song, “Rowley Mudda Count”, from the competition.

Gosein described the announcement by Singh and National Chutney Foundation President Dr Vijay Ramlal that they will not allow him to enter and compete in events sanctioned by them, as an insult to all artistes and a blow against the art form.

The singer said he was told to change the lyrics to dilute the political sting in the song and then it would be allowed in the Chutney Soca Monarch and other competitions. “I objected and refused to allow anyone to control or influence my song,” Gosein said.

He claimed being told that the promoter did not want “Rowley Mudda Count” played as it is seen as an attack on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and the ruling PNM. Gosein further claimed that a person affiliated with the Chutney Monarch competition is closely related to Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi and as such this person does not want to affect government funding of the show.

Gosein in a release said that people who are staging the Chutney Soca Monarch competition were also contracted to stage the PNM’s 2016 Carnival fete “RED” which was held under AG Al-Rawi’s patronage. “It was suggested that I should return to the glory days of performing for the PNM to boost my career in this guava season,” Gosein said.

He added that “similar sentiments” were expressed by Dr Ramlal in order to guarantee his (Gosein) prosperity. “I was told I should be ‘smart’ like other calypsonians as none of them are singing songs against the PNM.” Gosein said he considered these interventions to be a gross violation and infringement of his poetic license as an artiste.

He claimed that people in the Chutney Soca arena are only interested in making money and there is no genuine desire to promote and develop the culture. “They are using the Indian community for personal profit while sucking up to the PNM for million-dollar government funding,” Gosein alleged.

On the weekend, the PNM’s Women’s League chaired by Minister Camille Robinson-Regis condemned Gosein’s song saying it was an attack on women. To this, Gosein described the League as being hypocritical in that they did not express similar sentiments when other calypsonians attacked the wife of former UNC leader and then prime minister Basdeo Panday, former UNC member Hulsie Bhaggan and Afro-Trini supporters of the UNC.

“My song will not be sacrificed on the altar of political expediency to appease PNM promoters and their fat bank accounts. I therefore ask AG Al-Rawi to pass a law forcing promoters to publish financial accounts to show how much profits they make and how much taxes they pay on the millions that they rake in annually,” Gosein said.

Apart from government funds, Gosein added, these promoters also get millions of dollars in private sponsorship. He called on Al Rawi to “trace the money” to determine whose pockets it flows into, “because it certainly isn’t the artistes’ pockets.”