Culturama Chairman sheds light on Senior Kaiso Show controversy
Young Inspirer in centre of controversy
By Pauline Wauruguru
Nevis Reporter-SKNVibes.com
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| Cliff “Ginger” Walters feels strongly Inspirer should be restricted to Junior Calypso category |
CHARLESTOWN, Nevis - CHAIRMAN of the Culturama Festival Halstead ‘Sooty’ Byron has said the inclusion of Husani ‘De Inspirer’ Husani, a teenage talented calypsonians, is in keeping with guidelines set for all calypsonians who have qualified to participate at the much touted Senior Kaiso Show scheduled for the Nevis Cultural Centre tomorrow night.
Inspirer’s inclusion has sparked controversy with some senior calypsonians threatening to withdraw from the contest.
Cliff ‘Ginger’ Walters said children, however talented, should be placed in their own category. He gave this as one of the reasons for his withdrawal from the contest.
According to Byron, Ginger did not sing in the Semi-finals. “One is considered to withdraw only if they qualify in the Semi-finals. He was not listed as a Finalist. Everybody has a right to sing or not to sing,” Byron said.
Asked to respond to circulating rumours that the Inspirer had been allowed to perform with seniors to block Dis & Dat from winning, Byron said, “We had a meeting in June 2008. We announced at that meeting that the Inspirer would sing alongside senior calypsonians and nobody protested.”
He reiterated the call made by Deputy Premier Hensley Daniel for Nevisians to keep politics
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Husani “Inspirer” Parris
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out of Culturama.
Inspirer is scheduled to perform alongside Oscar ‘Astro’ Browne, Alfred ‘Baker’ Newton, David ‘Pungwa’ Patrick, Wilmuth ‘Jojo’ Parris, Keith ‘Dis & Dat’ Scarborough, Bernet ‘Nutsie’ Thomson, Husani ‘De Inspirer’ Parris, and Trevor ‘Daddy Fresh Cole’.
According to Byron, the calypsonians are slated to perform in the order listed.
Byron, who is also Director of Culture in Nevis, said there is nowhere in Kaiso circles in the region that prevents calypsonians aged between 0 and 17 performing alongside senior calypsonians.
He said Machel Montano, an eminent calypsonian in Trinidad, performed at the age of 11 in a senior Kaiso show.
“The Inspirer has exceptional talent and we cannot block his talents. We encouraged him to perform in the Senior Kaiso Show but left him to make his own decision. His parents were involved in the decision making process.”
The Director of Culture said the standard of calypso has dropped in Nevis from what it was in the 1980s and 1990s “to the extent you have mediocre calypsonians who are sometimes ill prepared, who not anymore committed to the artform. ~~Adz:Left~~
Our responsibility in the Foundation is to ensure that the artform is preserved. Older calypsonians should nurture young Calypsonians.”
Meanwhile, Meeko said he would not be performing until a gift of land he was promised during the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) Administration is given to him. Byron said the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) has made a commitment that he would be given his land.
Byron admitted that Meeko’s performance increases the number of calypso fans during Kaiso shows.
