Gypsy: Soca Monarch still on

The National Carnival Commission (NCC) will make a financial investment in the International Soca Monarch Competition and intends to assist in any other way it can.

Although reluctant to state exactly how much NCC would contribute, NCC Chairman Winston "Gypsy" Peters told Newsday yesterday that his organisation would also help to market and manage the event. In addition, he said the NCC would help ensure that the content of the show was of a quality to attract national and international audiences.

“NCC is trying to take part in all things Carnival and the Soca Monarch is an integral part of our Carnival landscape. And so the NCC is endeavouring to see how we can help to make Soca Monarch the product that it’s supposed to be because it is a product we don’t want to die.”

Up to yesterday afternoon, the reigning Soca Monarch, Aaron ‘Voice’ St Louis, did not yet know whether or not the competition would be held, or if he would be defending his title.

Peters also said the NCC was organising a one-stop-shop authorisation centre at the Grand Stand in the Queen’s Park Savannah so stakeholders could get all their licenses in one place. He said the centre would have representatives from Police and Fire Service, Licensing Office, Environmental Management Authority, the Port of Spain Mayor’s Office and other entities.

“People have to run all over the place and it can become quite chaotic, so we have negotiated to try to elevate some of the problems we have in that sphere.”

The centre is expected to be set up by the end of next week.