Gypsy: Don’t stop competitions

NATIONAL Carnival Commission (NCC) chairman Winston “Gypsy” Peters has said competitions like the Chutney Soca Monarch (CSM), Soca Monarch and Calypso Monarch were needed, as they were the vehicles for cultural continuity.

Gypsy shared his thoughts at the CSM prize-giving ceremony at the NCC’s VIP Lounge, Queen’s Park Savannah, on April 25.

Southex Event Management CEO George Singh also spoke and distributed cheques to the competition’s 12 finalists. Southex promotes and organises the CSM.

Gypsy commended Singh for hosting the annual Carnival competition for the past 29 years.

Speaking about the monarch competitions and public feeling that they should be stopped, Gypsy said, “I would never want to see these competitions scrapped, whether it is the soca monarch, chutney monarch, Calypso Monarch, Panorama.

“It is the only, singular event in our country that gives the entertainers – of whichever genre they are participating in – that kind of impetus for success.”

He added that these competitions gave rise to artistes like Bunji Garlin, the late Lord Kitchener, Sparrow and the late Sundar Popo.

“Competitions in Trinidad and Tobago are integral to the art form,” he said.

The competitions were also responsible for succession, Gypsy said.

New artistes “aspire to be just like the people who just win.

“In Trinidad and Tobago, we don’t have a university of chutney, we don’t have a university of calypso; we do, now, have a university that gives us a certificate in Carnival studies (the University of TT).”

But, he said, “A degree does not give you the recognition as a performer.”

He asked performers to take a page from the book of 2024 CSM winner Rick “Rick Ram” Ramoutar and his wife, Vanessa and invest their winnings.

“Use it to make a lot and use it to do something for your future. But, for God’s sake, our competitions must always continue and our competitions must always strive to give people a little more where you can.”

Vanessa, in an earlier speech, said she and her husband planned to invest further in their property with the $400,000 winnings and added that receiving prize money in 2015 had enabled them to initially construct their home.

She thanked Singh for his work, the competition and all he had done to preserve and continue Trinidad and Tobago’s culture.

Many of the 12 finalists, including 2024 Chutney Queen Rawythee Ramroop, attended the ceremony.

Earlier this month Tourism, Culture and the Arts Minister Randall Mitchell invited interested parties to partner with the government for a renewed International Soca Monarch competition in 2025.

Asked if this was something in which Southex would be interested, Singh said the day was about CSM, its artistes and prizes, and the organisation was planning big celebrations for its 30th anniversary.

Singh said the Carnival landscape missed the Soca Monarch and the developments that took place in the CSM needed also to occur in the soca industry.

“We would love to be part of it, but that is a hurdle I will cross at another time,” Singh said.

When told Gypsy had said he would love to see Southex be a part of the new Soca Monarch competition, Singh said Southex had been doing CSM for 30 years and had the experience, templates and respect among artistes.

“If the opportunity does become available, and if I have the support of the NCC and minister, of course, we will definitely look at it. But I cannot tell you that I am definitely going to be doing it.”

Singh plans to host a huge CSM 2025 with changes to stage and production. He added that international artistes might also be invited.