Massive: $1M for chutney soca a PR stunt

Nermal “Massive” Gosein
Nermal “Massive” Gosein

“A deceitful PR stunt” was how chutney star Nermal “Massive” Gosein condemned the saga of the Government’s apparent withdrawal and reinstatement of funding for the Chutney Soca Monarch (CSM) contest.

In a statement on Friday, he said the purported withdrawal of funding had been designed to victimise him for his song Rowlee Mudda Count, which critics believed to be Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, but had failed, owing to a public backlash.

“The alleged withdrawal of funding, the cancellation of CSM, the sudden U-turn by the government and the reinstatement of the CSM within the space of 24 hrs is a classic case of politricks!” he said.

He called the initial withdrawal of funding “biased, wicked and spiteful.”

“It was a political knee-jerk reaction by Dr Rowley to the fact that a humble Indian chutney artiste dared to sing a song that was viewed as critical of his leadership.”

Gosein scoffed that Finance Minister Colm Imbert’s explanation for the mixup – that he had received wrong information about the extent of funding by the NLCB – was ridiculous, incredible and laughable. He said Imbert, who said $1 million would be allocated, was NLCB’s line minister.

“It is therefore unthinkable that such an error could occur but highlights why the country’s economy in such a bad state. Was this really a case of right hand not knowing what left hand was doing? It seems as if while Rowley mudda could count, Imbert can’t.”

Gosein alleged that the saga was political gamesmanship designed to victimise him as the only artiste to sing an anti-government song criticising Dr Rowley’s leadership since he became prime minister.

“It is clear that the government had a change of heart because of the public backlash over its attempt to silence and intimidate me. “Public pressure forced Rowley to back-back and change his tune!”

Gosine said recently released songs for the 2018 Carnival season had exposed the hypocrisy of those who condemned his song. Tongue-in-cheek, he quipped, “Apparently, they enjoy the uplifting lyrics of Shal Marshall’s Take Jamm with its sexually explicit video. None of them have a problem with him singing, ‘Take jam in yuh mudda humm…bend over in yuh favourite position, take jam in yuh favourite position…, all in front yuh mudder, inside the gutter’.

“Likewise, Ras Komanda can proudly sing, ‘Donald is the man for Kim.’”

Gosine said he had no quarrel with his fellow artistes.

“I support their right to sing. I have a problem with those who think they can oppress and silence my voice because I am a humble Indian chutney singer whilst they support the right of African artistes to exercise their poetic licence as they see fit.” He called on the likes of the Telecommunications Authority of TT (TATT) and other public commentators to state their position on these two latter songs.

“I anxiously await TATT’s letter of warning to broadcasters. Unless of course, it one law for Massive and another for Shal and Ras.”

Comments

"Massive: $1M for chutney soca a PR stunt"

More in this section