The Editor
The Anguillian,

Dear Sir,

I would be grateful if you would find space to publish the following.

I listened to a female calypsonian on Heart Beat Radio last week expressing dissatisfaction with the shabby treatment female calypsonians were facing for Carnival 2006.

She indicated that the female competition was scheduled for July 28, which is “prior to the opening of Carnival.” In her opinion, “the Calypso shows and the Queen Show attract the biggest crowds.” However, the females are now asked to compete before Carnival.

To me, that is retrogression for Carnival should be an expression of local talent. And “Carnival is Calypso.” What would you have if you remove Calypso from the Carnival? To have the female competition before Carnival, and have “Reggae Night” during Carnival, is an insult to the female calypsonians who make an invaluable contribution to Anguilla Summer Festival. Carnival should be “an expression of local talent” not “importation of foreign talent.” Therefore “Reggae Night” shouldn’t have precedence over the female competition. That should be a pre-Carnival activity.

Her plea asking “the person sitting in the chair “to do something about the matter,” apparently fell on deaf ears, for the show was held on the scheduled date. Then we wonder why others refuse to participate. Surely if those who are interested in participating are insulted, then those on the sidewalk will remain there.

This makes one wonder if this is the beginning of a trend whereby local talent is going to be replaced by foreign talent. Maybe the boat owners could be next and soon be told, “This year there will be no August Monday boat race. We will have August Monday Yacht race instead.” We should try to preserve and improve the local talent we have, not replace it with foreign talent. Anguilla is described and advertised as being “unique.” Therefore we should try to keep it that way.

Yours Sincerely,
Colonel Harrigan, (Mr)

| Printer-friendly page | Send this article to a friend |

World News