Culture Minister booed

Submitted by shidsv on Sat, 2011-01-29 20:34

Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Winston “Gypsy” Peters walked into heavy lyrical bashing on Friday night during the opening of Kalypso Revue at the Arima Velodrome. Several calypsonians used satire to express their disappointment with the Minister, who was announced shortly after the show started. It was not a warm welcome. Emcee, Dennis “Sprangalang” Hall, had to ask the crowd to stop booing Peters. “Wait until he gone!” he exclaimed. Peters, however, took the tongue-lashing calmly, sitting through the ambush and even visiting his fellow artistes during the intermission. The 49-year-old Revue opened to a velodrome full of patrons. The Revue showcased 26 entertainers who mainly lambasted the People’s Partnership.

Replies

Kenwrick Joseph 'Kenny J' January 30, 2011 at 5:26pm

I visited the Calypso Revue Tent at Palms Club last evening and was surprised by the negative comments made on the Culture Minister by many calypsonians during their presentations, which in my view does not go down well for our culture. As a calypsonian I've never heard any Culture Minister being lambasted in that manner by so many calypsonians on one stage. There may be a lot more than we think. Being a Minister and acting in that portfolio he needs to put aside ex-tempo and the likes especially when making public statements and speeches. It requires a lot more diplomacy regardless of what race or class is being addressed. It's not what you say, it's how you say it. Some of us may seem to be in agreement with some of his statements because of our experiences and we know that a lot of wrongs are being done not only in the field of pan but also in the Soca,Calypso and Soca Chutney monarch competitions. Remember - There is no carnival without BACCHANAL.
- Sarah-Ann > Kenwrick Joseph 'Kenny J' January 30, 2011 at 5:45pm
  
  People are hurt by some of his actions and his remarks especially those of his actions against the Pan players we must not digress from that issue. When he became culture minister a silent cheer went up we were all sure that he was going to be just about the best minister by virtue of his own craft. Kenny J I have always been a great fan of yours it is good to see you commenting on this blogg.
  - Herman Samuels > Sarah-Ann January 30, 2011 at 6:33pm
    
    The Minister of Arts and Multi-culturism needed someone to explain to him just what this job entailed.He was thrust into this job with no regard for his managerial skills,or even his grasp of culture.I believe this was a cruel hoax that was perpertrated on him and the people of this country.Left to his own devices he was free to do as he well please.He does not see himself as propelling the arts forward ,he instead thinks that it is his job to victimize the practioners. That is sick and demented.Someone must let him know that his job is to push the arts and the culture forward and be and advocate for all things cultural, pan, calypso,soca, chutney ,rapso,painting,music in all its forms.Do not castigate him.Help him ,he does not know better.Unless he is under strict orders to behave the way that he is behaving.Then all bets are off.
    - Mercer Ramdoo > Herman Samuels January 30, 2011 at 8:46pm
      
      All of that because he dropped the stipend from $1000 to $800. Next year and the foll. years it will be $1200. Will we erect a statue, then? For months it has been like this w/o any changes, we gotta move on lest we crush our foreheads on the wall.
Z.Rowe January 30, 2011 at 3:06pm

BigMac,

I agree with you 100% and ah giving yuh 10% lagniape. But I suspect that it is a generational thing. Those of the younger generation will never appreciate how sweet the Panorama competition used to be. And that time POS saluted the winner on Jourvert morning, as they truimphantly rolled down Frederick Street playing their winning arrangement. Is the same reason why we football in the same sorry state, There is no longer any Colts vs Malvern or North vs South clashes.

But the rama change. Is more theatrics and showmanship now. If that is what the younger people know and love I go leave them to quarrel, when in the 2030 Panorama, the players start playing while standing on dey head.
- Mercer Ramdoo > Z.Rowe January 30, 2011 at 8:41pm
  
  Funny stuff, you may be correct.
- Mercer Ramdoo > Z.Rowe January 30, 2011 at 8:40pm
  
  Funny stuff, yuh may be right.
- Andy > Z.Rowe January 30, 2011 at 4:40pm
  
  Trinidad is in dire need of a Pan only zone for carnival where as you stated Panorama champs can be saluted. It is my hope that some astute person such as Minister Peters would suggest or implement Wrightson Rd from Hasley Crawford Stadium to City Gate utilizing the east bound lane for pan only and restrict the music truck to an acceptable distance from the Pan Zone. The west bound lane can be diverted for two way traffic where the Pan Zone can be in effect from say 6am to 2pm.Give the bands a staging area west of the Stadium.The bands should be required to remain on ground level utilizing Disney type motorize trollies. Bar and vendor spaces can be licensed to produce revenue. Bands can set up vending stands free of charge to sell licensed band memorbilia ie Tee shirts jackets and caps. In and along this Pan Zone bands can be judged for mas, bomb tune and any other competition. Then watch the world and tourist flock to this Traditional Carnival within Carnival.
- Glenroy R Joseph > Z.Rowe January 30, 2011 at 3:22pm
  
  Doh let Valentine Young fool allyuh.
  
  He eh no youth!!!
Glenroy R Joseph January 30, 2011 at 3:04pm

I have stated and continue to maintain that in spite of the fact that the Panorama is a glorious festival and has produced wonderful and unforgettable music, it has had negative side effects on the development of the steelband in Trinidad and Tobago.
The need to excel in panorama has caused some bands to focus on being great Panorama bands instead of great Music Bands.
Thus , other than Panorama, the bands have not evolved like the big bands did (Roy Cape, etc.) to keep up with the changing tastes in Carnival music.

Most of the improvements in pan took place at a time the bands were trying to satisfy the needs of the carnival parade.
Thus, we went from "pan 'round neck" to the chariot like constructs that were designed to mobilize the steelband.
Even amplification was experimented with that time.

I would suggest that as Panorama changed from being one of the things the steelband did at Carnival, to being the only major steelband event, steelband progress became static.

We now are in a time when individual panists can thrive as soloists, but the steelband (except for the top bands) stagnates.
I think the Trinidad Carnival Season is prime time for the Steelbands. The question is whether all the steelbands time and energy are best spent focused solely on Panorama, or whether another approach should be considered.

I must also mention the fact that I've never advocated doing away with the Panorama, although in any discussion everything has to be on the table.

However, for reasons mentioned here, and for other reasons stated by myself and others on this forum, Panorama needs to be looked at.
Fortunately , these things are being discussed.

I notice a posting on this site about funds shared between 165 unsponsored bands. I thought this was great news for the steelband movement, but no one (except me) noticed.

Makes me wonder what some of us really care about.

BTW, this has nothing to do with public funding for steelbands. Whatever the steelband's participation in Carnival, they bring income to the nation's coffers, and are entitled to share in the nation's wealth.

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