First Allison Hezekiah, then Pat Bishop, now Jeraldine Connor. These are icons in the culture of T&T. They propagated for the culture to go mainstream. They got some rewards but not enough to propel the culture to international markets. They all passed trying every thing possible to get it to the wide screens and international TV main channels. We have so much talent to offer and show case, so much stories to tell and so much presentations to make that can bring the world to together in various ways from Jean and Dina to Rosita and Clementina and from Tamboo Bamboo to Mama Look ah Booboo, and from Calypso to Chutney Soca.
We have not invited the correct international stars, media, producers both film and music to help us propel our culture. We are growing old and dying and there is no sight industrializing calypso, pan, carnival, and the abilty to bring people together regardless of their race or class differences. We keep our secret the best kept secret. We depend only on government for hand outs. There is no encouragement for people with money to come together to form film or music houses such as those in the States. We don't sell out intellectual products because we feel we will get nothing for them. Instead we sell gas and oil for very little with the majority profits going to the mega oil companies abroad. We stage Panorama without inviting any major stasr or producers. We believe our culture has no real economic value. We believe these should remain folkore and tradition and people should engage in them only as a sort of payment of love.
At one time some fire down below was being lit but that soon was outed becasue of lack of back up support by the T&T government at that time. We did not see it as an economic qualifier besides oil and gas.
Here is a story of where calypso was going at one time and could have been pushed further along with pan, carnival, panorama etc on the wide screen and international TV stations. Can we find some present international superstars and producers to take up the slack? I think so. I think that's where it has to go again. It cannot remain outside of those stages and level of support.
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Sidd these icons did their part - thanks to WST we can now reach the the entire world.....things would happen soon.
PREPARATION + OPPORTUNITY = SUCCESS