Will New Association Take Ownership of Calypso 2010?

0Kaiso Body Sets Election Dates

After months of discussion over form and structure, the new Calypso Association seems ready to deal with the question of leadership before it begins to consider whether it should re-take ownership of the big calypso and soca shows of Carnival 2010, which runs from May 30 to June 20.

Financial and leadership issues which came to a head in the old Association around 2005 forced the Cultural Development Foundation (CDF) to take over control of the big shows, namely the Calypso Semi-Finals and Finals; and the Groovy and Power Soca Finals.

The Calypso Finals, in particular, had been the Association’s cash cow from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, when the great song and performance rivalries between the likes of Invader, Splash, Ashanti, Educator, Herb Black, Pep, Robby, Cheryl and Lady Leen, increased the popularity local calypso.

Now, the new body, the St. Lucia Calypso Association (2009), as it is formally called, has set two important dates for elections to its two main leadership organs, namely a Council, which will be the main governing body; and an Executive Committee, which will manage the Association’s affairs. The quality of leadership that emerges will be crucial to the restoration of calypsonians’ and CDF’s confidence in the ability of the Association to manage its affairs – financial and otherwise.

Next week Saturday (March 27) members will elect the Council, which will comprise three members of each calypso tent and three other ordinary members. Then on April 27 the seven-member Executive Committee will be up for election at the first Biennial General Meeting of the new Association. This organ will comprise a chairperson; secretary; assistant secretary/treasurer; treasurer; communications officer; and two trustees.

The dates were approved last Saturday at what looked like the final of a series of meetings in which a core group of 21 calypsonians, calypso enthusiasts, and musicians had been working to carve out a structure and form for a new umbrella body to replace, rather than revive, the St. Lucia Calypsonians Association that came into being in 1975, but totally disintegrated around 2005. The last spasms of the old Association came at a time of increase state funding for carnival, prompting calypso tent leaders to form the St. Lucia Association of Recognised Calypso Tents (START). By 2007 the government had announced a subvention of $1 million each year for three years (administered through the Tourist Board and CDF) to help the various sectors of carnival improve their product. That funding facility expired in 2009, and calypso tent officials at the Association’s meeting last Saturday said they had no information on whether the subvention would be continued.

About 25 people, including two members of the press, attended the meeting at the Entrepot Human Resource Centre, a number that “disappointed” musician Gene Leon, one of the founders of the ‘Group of 21’. Leon’s disappointment was understandable when one considers that about 42 calypsonians competed in the 2009 Calypso Quarter-Final Round. The potential attendance would be closer to 102, if one adds the core members of all five existing calypso tents; the number of calypsonians and soca artistes who performed in the tents last season but didn’t compete; the songwriters and musicians; and other people who benefit directly from the calypso season.

But as disappointing as it may seem, the presence of 25 members at a meeting of any civic group here is considered a good attendance. Attendees were reminded by, Caron Tobierre, another founding member, that the Calypso Association 2009 was a “voluntary” association, which would seek to operate by the same professional standards as a profit-making business. Such reminder was expected because the value of service was so divisive that it inadvertently became a major issue which finally wrecked the old Association. For example, the financial statement of the old Association at July 31, 1998, shows that $13,850 was paid as “honoraria” to executive members for 1997/98! In fact the statement of expenditure amounted to $182,984 against a net total income of $145,706. But even at that time the Association still had bank savings of $32,589.

“Please volunteer mindful of the fact that your services would not be paid for,” said Caron Tobierre, another member of the ‘Group of 21’, who was obviously well aware of the problems of the past.

Another weakness of the old Association was the inability of calypsonians to manage rivalries, whether among themselves or between the tents. In order to reduce conflict, the constitution of the new association stipulates that the primary role of persons elected to the Executive Committee will be to represent the interest of the Association. Therefore, a person who had been representing his tent on the Council would need to be replaced, if he is elected to the Executive Committee. Bye-laws for the Association and rules for participating in song competition are still in draft, according to Interim Chairman, Cecil Charles, who is also the business manager of the Take Over Tent. These documents will have to be approved by the Council.

Members of the new Association said their successful organization of the show, ‘31 Kaisos for Haiti’ at the National Cultural Centre on February 27 was a good test of their sincerity and determination to rebuild a representative body. The show also served as the closing activity for St. Lucia’s 31st Anniversary of Independence. A $16,000 cheque, representing the proceeds from the show, was earlier this week presented by the Association for assistance to Haiti.

Tobierre told the meeting last Saturday that the Haiti fund-raising show had achieved its purpose, even though the new Association started with “absolutely no money” when the idea was conceived. All the artistes agreed to perform for free; the Reasons Orchestra provided the musical accompaniment at a reduced rate; Carpet Media/Scruffy TV streamed the show live to the world via the Internet; and Gilroy ‘Izi’ Hall, a calypso emcee, was able to ‘pull some strings’ to get collaboration with relevant service providers, including the government, Tobierre said.

“The show worked out and worked out well,” Tobierre added. “If this is any indication, the Association has a bright future. ‘Kaiso 31’ was a good place to start for the Association.”

The new Association is currently circulating membership application forms as part of its preparations for its first Council meeting next week Saturday.