Carnival, Cricket, Emancipation

Apologies for the absence of my column last week due to personal reasons. It has left me in a quandary for there is too much to cover in one column given the happenings locally and abroad over the past two weeks.

We have had another successful VincyMas, but also have suffered from the deaths of notable regional and local personalities. Among these were the legendary Guyanese journalist and Caribbean patriot, Ricky Singh, and our own devoted local and regional public servant, Bentley Browne who made significant contributions in other fields, especially civil society work and culture. My condolences go out to their respective families. Looking on the brighter side, one of Trinidad’s most outstanding “conscious calypsonians”, a personal favourite of mine, Brother Valentino, celebrated his 84th birthday. Valentino along with the late Black Stalin, were the acknowledged leaders of the conscious revolution in calypso and he has penned and sung several classics. Happy Birthday! Bro. Valentino.

Since I have touched on calypso, my original plan for last week was to pay tribute to the undoubted hero of the local 2025 Soca season. NO! I am not writing about the mega combination of local Soca legends, Skinny Fabulous and Fireman Hooper, and our local hopes they would carry it far onto the international stage. Instead, forgive me for going closer to home, into my own bloodline.

Any objective review of the local soca scene for 2025 can only conclude that what is called in Latin, the Victor Ludorum (most outstanding performer), can be no other than young Utamu Rose, alias Bongo Prime. Not only did he conquer all in the Ragga Soca competition, but it took two, and not just any two, the champion two of Skinny and Fireman, from preventing him from achieving a clean sweep.

But it is the surrounding circumstances which made his triumph even more remarkable. Bongo Prime did not have the luxury of just concentrating on perfecting his Soca compositions. Even as he prepared for the 2025 season, he was taking care of his ailing father who died just a month before Carnival. His other siblings being abroad, Utamu had to shoulder the burden, all the while carrying out his employment responsibilities and making his Soca preparations.His father died and was buried a mere two weeks before the Soca competitions. Bongo Prime was entered in both categories. To cope with all this, beat off his ragga soca competitors and then only lose to the superstar combination of Skinny and Fireman, makes his triumph even more remarkable. It demonstrates a strength of character which tells us something about our young people that we do not always recognize or acknowledge, a shining example to our youth. BIG UP! Bongo Prime!

Before I move off the Carnival theme, I must add my congratulations to all involved in making VincyMas a success. The more we broaden our outreach, the more challenging it becomes. It is admirable that in the circumstances there are continuing efforts to keep and enrich the links between Carnival and our history. But this cannot be a task for the CDC alone, it calls for a national effort especially in respect to research and education. Carnival is as much a part of our history, existence and struggle for emancipation as any other recognised area. We need to teach our children especially, but the entire society as well, including people who do not like Carnival but at the same time do not understand it, about its origins and how it has contributed towards our growth and development.

Emancipation Cricket Festival

Finally, since we are discussing making connections, we this week witnessed the launching of the Emancipation Cricket Festival, scheduled for the Emancipation weekend at the beginning of August. This Festival is much more than a “goat match” festival for there are two serious issues at its centre. First there is the local initiative by our government to honour our Legends who put the West Indies at the top of the global cricket ladder 60 years ago (Tests), and then at the One-Day level 10 years later.

The second is the connection between cricket in the Caribbean and our struggles to end discrimination, colonial rule, the domination of the plantocracy and its linked commercial sector, and for freedom and independence for our people. Cricket has been integral to that struggle and so our advances on the field opened opportunities for our people as a whole and brought respect to our region.

Unfortunately, it appears that our old bugbear is with us again. Clearly the current leadership of Cricket West Indies, described derisively by our Prime Minister as a “private sector entity…trying to control a public good”, is not in the good books of at least one regional government. But this should be no excuse for us not cooperating on matters so pertinent to our common interests. Whatever the differences, such initiatives must not only be encouraged but made part of our common agenda.

Whatever the differences, we must be extra careful not to let people feel, on one side or another, that political differences and partisanship are important contributing factors.The CWI, regional and local cricket authorities, as well as all regional governments, should be singing on the same song sheet. It is the only way to get a unified choir and singular message, especially after the shameful debacle at Sabina.