TUCO yet to receive funds for Carnival

Calypsonians hoping to secure a place in the national finals of the calypso monarch competition may have to prepare for a reduction in prize money this year.

Just over two weeks before the scheduled February 3 semi-final rounds of the Calypso Fiesta competition at Skinner Park, San Fernando, PRO of the Trinbago Unified Calypsonian Organisation (TUCO) Ras Kommanda said the body, “has not received a dime from government.”

“At this point, we are still in discussions about the prize structure for the National Calypso Monarch competition, the premier Dimanche Gras event which attracts both local and foreign audiences. I suspect we are no different from the other Carnival organisations, we are not isolated from what is happening with the economic downturn, so we may have to look as well at our prize structure,” Kommanda said.