Kaiso 'tata' on Tidco website
Posted: Thursday, February 20, 2003

By Terry Joseph

The Tourism and Industrial Development Company (Tidco) yesterday hurriedly removed the calypso page of its Carnival on D' Net website, after calypsonians expressed outrage over its content which described the artform as "Tata".

Now in its eighth year, the current edition of Carnival on D' Net was launched last month at a glitzy Hilton Trinidad soiree that featured calypso performances and promised a number of "positive images of the festival, descriptions of its major components and updates on premier events".

Instead, quite the opposite materialised.

On Sunday, Culture Minister Pennelope Beckles was visibly astonished after being shown a copy of the calypso web page by the Express. She promised to fully explore the site and take corrective action.

Under the rubric "Carnival 2003", Tidco's Carnival on D' Net website featured a calypso page exclusively dedicated to an article by BC Pires headlined "Tata in the Round", a scathing critique of the work of Iwer George, Impulse and Bunji Garlin.

Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO) general secretary, Brother Resistance, described it as "outrageous and unbelievable".

"If it were not right there on the screen I would never have believed that Tidco, an agency that uses taxpayers' funds to promote The Land of Calypso, could turn around and use the worldwide web to dismiss the season's entire catalogue, calling it 'Tata' for all the world to read," Resistance said.

He added that "while we believe in freedom of expression, given the context of the Tidco website, this was completely inappropriate".

In a prepared response, Tidco communications manager, Renatta Mohammed, yesterday said "Pires' controversial article remained unedited by Tidco for a limited period in the interest of freedom of expression and with the disclaimer that the views expressed were not ours.

"However, the article has since been replaced as its lifespan has lapsed."

George, skatie joint winners

By Nigel Telesford, Express TT

Lead vocalist for the band Pure Energy, Roger George, and veteran calypsonian Carlos "Skatie" James will share the $70,000 first prize ($60,000 cash and $10,000 in sponsored items) as joint winners of the Young Kings Calypso Monarch Competition 2003.

George said: "Well, they say that great minds think alike, so I guess they all thought that we both deserved to win. I'm happy with the decision and, of course, all praise is due to God and you know what they say: the judges decision is always final."

James said he was "happy just to win" and thanked Steven Robataly, who wrote "One Man and One Man Alone" and assisted him in composing: "In Just Six Years". The three-time Arima Calypso Monarch and twice-time Tunapuna Monarch complimented George on his performances and said he was looking forward to the finals of the Political Calypso Competition on Saturday at Skinner Park in San Fernando.

This is the second contest in two days in which there has been a tie for first place-the other being the Chutney Soca Monarch competition.

Monday night's Young King contest, held at Pier 1 in Chaguaramas, was a fierce contest among the 18 finalists, in spite of intermittent rains and technical difficulties.

Rapso artiste, Ataklan, suffered two bouts of system malfunctions, but still managed to secure the crowd's support as they clapped away the silence in time to the rhythm of his fitting contribution, "What's Wrong?"

New York-based entertainer, CJ, delivered an animated rendition of his first song, "When A Mother Cries" and, in eighth position, Brian London identified the symptoms of the "Character Crisis" in today's society.

Skatie followed soon after with a UNC-bashing composition entitled, "In Just Six Years", while recently-crowned NWAC Calypso Queen, Marva Mc Kenzie, put on a well-choreographed rendition of the song that earned her the title- "The Sacred and The Profane".


Results of 2003 Young Kings

Calypso Monarch competition :


1. Skatie and Roger George

3. Brian London

4. Ataklan

5. CJ

6. Marva Mc Kenzie

7. Ninja

8. Corey Burke

9. Ghetto Flex

10. Sean Daniel

11. Heather Mac Intosh

12. Ras Kommanda

13. Jarva Caesar

14. Mookesh Babooram

15. Renee Alfred.

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