Cloud over Soca Monarch

GARY CARDINEZ

There is uncertainty over this year’s staging of the International Soca Monarch competition — one of the biggest events in the annual Carnival celebrations.

According to Peter Scoon chairman of Caribbean Prestige Foundation for the Performing Arts, the organisation which produces the event, there is no final decision on the competition. The final is usually held on Carnival Friday which, this year, is on February 9.

“We are in the process of acquiring funding,” Scoon said.

“We are looking at both corporate and governmental. After this, we will sit down and make a decision on a way forward. It is not until we have funding can we talk about a format and prize money for the show.

“For more than a month now I have been hearing that there will not be a Soca Monarch competition but we have not put out any such information.”

Scoon feels government should fully support these types of events in an effort to develop the product to present to the world. He said so many other festivals have been failing but Carnival has been doing a lot for TT.