‘Observer’ cops $5000 in Environmental Song Competition

Thaddeus Duncan, the Observer, is the winner of the Environmental Song Competition held on Monday, March 14, National Heroes Day.{{more}}

Observer won $5000 in the competition, which saw twelve finalists singing in various genres on issues related to the environment, sustainable livelihoods and development.

Around eight hundred persons turned out to the Rawaccou Eco-Tourism Facility at Argyle to hear the the performances in calypso, reggae, gospel, and dub, accompanied by the music of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force Band, conducted by Station Sergeant Bernard Haynes.

Observer sang “Protect the Environment”. Second was Roger Thompson (D’Landlord) singing “Handle With Care”, and third was Christopher Grant who sang “Take a Stand.” These winners will receive $5,000 for 1st prize, $4,000 for 2nd prize, and $3,000 for 3rd prize.

The other competitors were Ronald Browne (Ron B), Conway (Mr.Miller) Miller, Naphtali Duncan, Javelle Frank (Lady Diamond); Jaeson Bowens, Elrico Hunte & Claydon Roache, (Interception); Jerome Samuel (Parry), Elvis Roots Gordon (Roots Gordon); Gemel Wisemen (G-Wise), and Seon Williams, D Spider. They will each receive $1,000.00. Guest appearances were made by the South East Development Inc. (SEDI) Steel pan and the Renaissance dancers of Stubbs.

This song competition was one of a number of activities of a two-year project, entitled “Capacity Strengthening for Community Management of Resources for Sustainable Development” funded by the Organisation of American States (OAS). Other activities in this project include consultations among resource users to raise awareness on issues related to sustainable development and the environment; resource users workshops to enlighten and make resource users more committed to sustainable use and management of resources, workshops on leadership among resource user groups aimed at strengthening their capacity; radio discussions and a junior calypso competition to raise public awareness on sustainable development issues.

The song competition was held in collaboration with the Organisation of American States, the Rawaccou Eco-tourism Organisation, the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, the International Airport Development Company (IADC), the Southeast Development Inc (SEDI), the Carnival Development Committee and the SVG Calypsonians’ Association.

The over-all aim of the project is to strengthen the basis for participatory and collaborative approaches to community development in the process of pursing alternative livelihoods, while addressing issues of gender, democracy and equality.