They cite a lack of airplay and a tireless battle for sponsorship as main factors in the crumbling state of the art form, but said the major one was the lack of support of the general public. They raised these issues and a plethora of others during a meeting with Culture Minister Dr Frank Anthony on Monday. The discussions during the session were frank.
Performers the likes of Wicked Pertab, Mighty Rebel and Winfied James were among the most vocal. However, they also sat quietly and listened as the minister spoke of where he would like to see them take the art form.
“Showmanship has been lacking for a while,” Anthony said and he called on the performers to not only bring the lyrics but the vibes and “the spirit”. He said the local calypso committee had held previous discussions with stakeholders and decided that the quality of calypso now was “not what it used to be”. The minister’s comments rang true and a few persons seated in the room nodded in agreement.
Anthony said the committee went out and sought views on the way forward and that Monday’s meeting was expected to hear additional proposals. He said calypsonians are part of a new initiative this year where calypso tents are moving across the country to spread the word prior to the competition. Anthony stressed that rehearsals are very important and that “people must show up” because if they do not then they “are not ready for the stage”. According to him, a decision could be taken to prevent persons from competing on stage if they are unprepared for it.
Government would like to pump more resources into calypso but it is not in a position to, Anthony said. He said that the calypsonians, particularly those entering the HIV song competition, need to reach out to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and seek sponsorship because there are no further funds to be injected into that segment of the competition. He lauded the segment saying the messages that come out of it are being used in other Caribbean countries to promote behavioural changes.
The minister’s words were comforting to an extent since many calypsonians vented about why the art form is in a poor state. James raised the issue of airplay and sponsorship saying calysonians are left to “fend for themselves” in a society where people no longer really care to give to the art form. He said that many struggle with sponsorship and suggested that maybe the ministry can assist in a greater way.
Kaiso Kid lamented that calypsonians are asked to go around with a begging bowl to companies that flat out say no. He said some of the performers have no idea where to turn and that last year a performer was left at Thirst Park following the finals “begging around for a fare home”. He said the ministry could offer more than it is currently.
Anthony, in response, said calypsonians have to be more organized and prepared when entering the competition. “We are not going to hold people’s hands and bring them to this competition,” he added.
The minister also said that the qualities of many of the calypsos are not up to standards, but this was resisted.
Musician Bonny Alves who produces some of the material on show said Guyana has been churning out quality work for some time now. He urged the minister to pay more attention to the work of the local studios.
