Junior Soca Monarch: I did not throw away my crown

Junior Soca Monarch Hance John is calling on The News newspaper to issue an apology for what he considers to be “misleading statements” made about him in its July 3, 2009 issue, but the newspaper remains adamant that it will not apologize “for the truth”.{{more}}

On Wednesday, July 8th, 2009, John who is also known as ‘Man Hans’ visited the SEARCHLIGHT in relation to statements made in The News articles ‘Mass Confusion with Obsession’ and ‘King throws away crown’.

The four-time Junior Soca Monarch, who attends the St.Joseph Convent Marriaqua, said the articles “were filled with defamatory and libelous content” about him.

John is taking issue with The News front page article which stated he threw away his crown and “seemed to be one angry individual after it was announced he was the winner”. He is also peeved that a back page article in the same newspaper stated that he jumped down from the stage, threw the crown into the crowd and disappeared.

Giving his account, John said: “When I got off the stage my fans were all stretching for the crown so I gave it to a little girl. I did not throw it. “I was up in the moment, but I did not go off as they’re saying. I was always conscious,” said John, adding that he is disappointed with the articles written about him.

“Why would I do such a disrespectful act when I was filled with joy? I was very elated, extremely happy. It was one of my biggest moments in life. I have won the crown in three consecutive years; this year was my hat-trick, so why should I be angry? I was simply sharing my moment with one of my fans, a little girl who I gave the crown to. I did this because they have always been supporting me for a number of years,” said the young man who hails from Evesham.

“I am emotionally tough, but this is something I felt to my heart. It is something that is being published in the public. At first I wasn’t feeling anything, but people are meeting me and telling me I throw away the crown, when I didn’t. I felt a way,” said John, who recently sat nine Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects.

John also denies disappearing, as was stated in one of the articles. “I was at Victoria (for) almost an hour conducting interviews, chatting with a number of persons including Joffre Venner… and a number of my fans,” he asserts.

When contacted on the matter, Assistant Editor of The News, Dougie ‘Nose’ Joseph, told SEARCHLIGHT that John can write the newspaper demanding an apology or even bring his lawyer, but The News has no apology to make for the truth.

“He can say what he want…we are sticking by everything we wrote, line by line,” said Joseph.(HN).