Charlestown Nevis (May 4, 2010) -- Society is being advised to refrain from blaming country’s youth for seemingly doing nothing and generally being unproductive, when it (society) is unable to provide programmes that would keep the youth constructively occupied.
Vernon Springer, Manager of the Nevis Culturama Calypso King Calvin ‘I-Soursop’ Johnson, made the remarks Saturday May 1, when the defending Culturama Calypso King conducted the second Coke Zero Making a Difference Youth Calypso Workshop at the Nevis Cultural Centre, Old Hospital Road, Charlestown.
“All of us in some way need to do more in our communities,” said Springer, a sports journalist with the Basseterre-based WINN FM. “It makes no sense to say young people are not doing anything when we are not generally coming forward with programmes or even trying to assist and do something for young people.”
Over 30 youngsters turned up for the day-long activity where I-Soursop guided them on how to compose, write, arrange and perform calypsos. The first workshop had been held at the same venue in November last year and according to Springer, 28 youngsters took part of which 18 turned up for the Saturday event.
Coke Zero was the main sponsor of the event and it was no wonder that when the youngsters were guided on how to write a calypso, almost all of them had lyrics complimenting the good qualities of Coke Zero, the latest product from the St. Kitts Bottling Company, which has proved to be a winner with the general public.
“They (Coke Zero) were on board the first time we had the workshop but the original workshop was set up by SOL,” explained Springer. “Coke Zero chipped in during the first workshop, but this time they fully sponsored it and hence it was the Coke Zero I-Soursop Making a Different Youth Calypso Workshop, which by the way we feel was a huge success.”
Other workshop sponsors included Modern Printers, Nisbet Plantation Beach Club, Peterson Fleming of Nisbet Plantation, NAGICO Insurance, and Wesk Agency (operators of MV Sea Hustler and MV Mark Twain) that was the official transporter to take the team to Nevis, and back, from St. Kitts. Lunch came from Judith Catering Service.
The workshop was a collaboration between the I-Soursop Management Team with the Nevis Island Administration and the Culturama Committee. It was officially opened by Nevis Deputy Premier and Minister of Culture, Hensley Daniel, while closing remarks were made by chairman of the Nevis Cultural Foundation and the Nevis Culturama, Halstead ‘Sooty’ Byron.
Calvin ‘I-Soursop’ Johnson who caused a cultural earthquake last year when he became the first Kittitian to win the Calypso title on Culturama’s 35th anniversary, has proved to the king who not only receives, but a king who gives. It was for that reason he offered to train young Nevisians to become better calypsonians.
“We generally want to make sure that out of this workshop that we get at least eight or ten calypsonians who will be able to participate in the youth calypso competition for Culturama 2010, and I think we are certainly on our way in achieving that goal,” said Springer.
Some facilitators came on board to help I-Soursop. During the first workshop, Stevenson Manner assisted, while during the second workshop, they had Abonaty Liburd, Clifford Isaac, Masfield Nisbett and they managed to pull out from retirement the Mighty Lindbergh (Spencer Hanley, now general manager of the Nevis Air and Sea Ports Authority) to train the youngsters.
Records would have it that the Mighty Lindbergh is the only person who has won the calypso title in Nevis back to back. He took the crown on his first attempt in 1971 and went on to successfully defend in 1972. However, in those days it was known as Carnival, and only changed to Culturama in 1974. Since then, no Calypsonian has won it back to back.
According to Vernon Springer, I-Soursop has the intention to enter into history books once more, this time by being the first calypsonian to win the Culturama calypso title back to back. He will be launched for Culturama 2010 on the 18th of June with a special televised interview on the Nevis News Cast.
“On the same day (June 18) we will have the official release of I-Soursop on WINN FM 98.9 and then we journey to Nevis on Saturday 19th June where we will release on Choice 105.3 FM and VON Radio,” reported Springer. “There will be calypso tents and we have been approached by one of the organisers and competitor, King Astro and we have said we are ready for it.”
