We are being disrespected – Calypsonians Association

Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Calypsonians Association (SVGCA) Robert “Patches” Knights-King says that people involved in the promotion of Vincy Mas should be more considerate of the artform of calypso.

The comments from the PRO came last week as he voiced his disgust that the SVGCA was forced to change the date of the National Queen of Calypso show because the National Lotteries Authority (NLA) is hosting an event on the same date.

The 2019 National Queen of Calypso competition will be held on Friday, June 7 at the Russell’s Auditorium at Stoney Ground, but initially was scheduled for Saturday, June 8.

The move to June 7 means that the competition will now be held on the same night as the preliminary judging of the Dynamites Calypso Tent in New York, something that tent’s representative Gailene Windsor sees as disrespectful to the overseas based calypsonians.

Knights-King said in his opinion, no organisation in the country is bigger than a national event like the Queen of Calypso show.

“This organisation that is going to have this show to clash and create problems for the calypso fraternity, I do not support it. They could have gotten a more convenient date because they are well aware of what is going on in terms of our shows,” Knights-King told a press briefing last week.

He said the fact the NLA is going to have a show at the Victoria Park knowing that it is going to clash with the Queen of Calypso show, and interfere with its success, is wrong.

“As the public relations officer we should register strong protest. We should challenge it because in the final analysis, the Carnival Development Corporation is the one having the final control over what is going on. The CDC could stand up to them in the interest of calypso because this only happens once a year,” said Knights-King.

“Our expectations and reality are two different things,” he added.

Also speaking out on the issue, Windsor said that she knows the New York based artistes are not going to like that the Queen of Calypso show now clashes with their preliminary judging event because of the date shift.

“I don’t feel it’s a Famalay, like what Skinny Fabulous said, with the Calypso Association but when I deliver the message, they are going to be very upset.

“They are not going to feel as if they are a part of the Calypso Association family,” said Windsor.

In response, President of the Calypsonian Association Earl “Caba” Bennett said that the issue is not a CDC issue and the NLA is not an outside entity. He said that NLA controls the Victoria Park.
The NLA is one of the main sponsors of Vincy Mas.

Anthony Dennie, the NLA’s product development manager, could not comment on the issue when reached on Monday. He said that he was in a meeting and would respond today.