6 photos
Shastri Boodan
State funding is being wasted on the Chutney Soca Monarch Competition says Wendell Eversely, the vice president of the National Chutney Foundation of T&T.
Eversely spoke with the media yesterday at the semi-final rounds of the 2018 School’s National Carnival Intellectual Chutney Soca Monarch Competition at the Saith Park, Chaguanas.
Eversely said most of this year’s songs at the senior level were bankrupt of ideas and that the Chutney Soca Monarch was a “disgrace to the population”.
"We see where the Chutney Soca Monarch is concerned, one man threatened to shut down the whole organization because of funding. The Government should look and see where they are channelling funds into and they should really put a lot of funding into the primary schools and the secondary schools.
"Here it is we are talking about a part of our national culture and we see what kind of music we get at the Chutney Soca Monarch.”
Eversely said at the junior level the songs are more constructive. “The Government is channelling money in the wrong direction. We will see one man getting monies to sing stupidness.”
He said the students are given pittance for their prize.
Head of the foundation, Vijay Ramlal Rai said the competition was geared towards development of young people to ensure the next generation produces lyrics that are more meaningful. Ramlal Rai said the competitors in the adult competition usually resort to using melodies and music from Bollywood hits. “It’s a form or piracy that they do openly.” He said those using the melodies have no permission to do so and that they must pay royalties in US dollars. The finals of the competition comes off on February at the Queen's Park Savannah and 15 finalists will be taking part in the competition with a total of $100,000 in prizes at stake.
The finalists, to be announced later this week, will come up against defending champ Christina Chattergoon.