Champion Bubbla: I want my money!

by Vanesta Murphy

“I am Champion Bubbla and I want my prizes”. When you win a competition you would expect to collect your prize in a reasonable timeframe, well that’s what Andonia Lynch of Sion Hill expected.

On May 5, 2006 Lynch entered the “Champion Bubbla” show (the show aimed to find the Vincentian dancehall queen) that was held at the ‘Nutritia’ hard court in New Montrose. For the past two months Lynch has been waiting to collect the $1,000 that is owed to her.{{more}}

And, according to the dancer, the other prizewinners also have not received their prize money. Representatives from “Maddhouse Entertainment” said: “She doesn’t know anything about that, that’s not her business.”

Lynch also claims that she has been in touch with the promoters “Maddhouse Entertainment” and all they ever tell her is that they will come and see her, but that never happens.

Lynch told SEARCHLIGHT that she has decided to go the legal route and involve a lawyer instead of resorting to violence. However, her house was damaged in a fire on July 1, and she has lost everything including her trophy for placing 3rd in last years’ competition and the copy of the registration form that she used to enter the competition this time around. She however told Searchlight that her lawyer had seen the copy of the document.

Representatives from “Maddhouse Entertainment” in St. Vincent spoke to SEARCHLIGHT on the matter. They stated that Lynch only won the competition because she “built a relationship” with the overseas judges. They therefore don’t believe that she deserves the title of “Dancehall Queen”, and have told her that she will not be able to enter any competition using that title, but have stated that they will still pay her the prize money.

“Maddhouse Entertainment” also said that they are just trying to find a venue to do another show, and her prize money will come out of the proceeds. The organisers said that after watching a DVD of the show it was clear that the crowd felt cheated when Ms Lynch won, and that there is no way they could send her to any regional or international competition.

Maddhouse Entertainment have said that as yet there is no date for the follow-up show, but that she will be paid the prize money after that.

Lynch wants the matter resolved as soon as possible because as she said “My children are going through an emotional time,” and that she would like to take them on holiday. She also said that she needs to rebuild her life after the recent fire and that the money would come in handy at this moment.

Speaking to SEARCHLIGHT, Joseph Delves, attorney for Lynch said: “Legally, this a very straightforward matter, they had a competition she won, they advertised a prize, they’re supposed to pay”. Delves commented that this kind of thing happens all the time in St. Vincent, “You enter a competition, win a prize and the promoters have all kind of excuses as to why they can’t give you your money”. He said that he was unsure of what possible defenses that they are raising but it is very straightforward. When asked about the document that Lynch referred to earlier, Delves said that he could not comment.