Calypsonians ‘confident’ this will be the year for prize money increase

Local calypsonians have sounded their voices loud and clear for the Carnival Development Corporation (CDC) to increase prize monies for the kaiso competition, a move they say is long overdue.

The St Vincent and the Grenadines Calypso Association (SVGCA) launch of events for this year’s carnival also came with a tongue lashing for the organizers of VincyMas.

Roberts ‘Patches’ Knights, speaking at the May 21,2024, press conference launch at CDC headquarters, said the issue of compensation offered to calypsonians has been tabled many times in the past.

“I hope that the CDC would up its game…prize money has been a vexing issue with us for years. We know the power we exert in terms of bringing people to the shores of St Vincent and the Grenadines during this premier festival we call Carnival and we believe that it is long overdue for us to get a raise.”

Local calypso artistes are not the only ones demanding better from the CDC. Last year, several Soca artistes put their frustrations down in writing, detailing a list of demands which included the increase of prize money for the Ragga Soca and Power Soca competitions to $40,000 for first place, $25,000 for second and $ 15,000 for third place, as well as an increase in the appearance fee to $5,000. Their demands, however, were not met

and resulted in some withdrawing from both competitions.

Although calypsonians have not tabled the option of withdrawal, SVGCA president, Earl ‘Cabba’ Bennett said at the press conference that calypsonians have made their case to the CDC as to the reasons why the increase in prize money is not only deserved, but necessary as costs for hosting calypso tents are climbing.

In 2023, the Calypso Monarch received EC$25,000 and Bennett said he is “cautiously confident” that there will be an increase across the board this year for performers.

“We don’t know what will happen, but we are confident there will be some prize increase across the board, not only for kaiso, but for Ragga and Soca. We have to make our various cases to say why there should be a prize increase. We can rattle off many reasons why- band costs have gone up, venue costs have gone up and all the other things.”

This year Vincentians can expect up to three shows from the On Tour, Upstage and Graduates Calypso tents, while the Dynamite Calypso Tent will be staging their events in New York. Preliminary judging for the tents is June 13 for On Tour; June 11 for Graduates; and June 12 for Upstage.

New Tent Manager of the On Tour, Elvis “Abijah” Abbey said this year the tent has utilized adjudicators to select the final 18-member cast.

Last year the tent found itself in hot water when Zion-I performed ‘Raperman’ on the tent’s opening night resulting in the then tent manager offering a written apology to Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves and the performer being banned from singing with the tent.

In the press conference, Abbey confirmed that Zion-I will be in the On Tour line-up for this year’s judging.