Dear Editor,
Are we really serious about abuse of women? After attending the Junior Calypso Competition in Berbice it left me wondering in disgust as to why the Ministry of Culture and parents of the newly crowned Junior Calypso Monarch would support such vulgarity in his lyrics under the guise of double meaning. “Ah put meh dog in she cat” and “She put she salt fish in meh mouth” was downright disrespectful and demeaning to our womenfolk, including his mother. I watched in disbelief as women cheered and laughed. Heaven help us as a nation; how can this young man’s parents allow him to be used in this ridiculous way to tarnish his image for a few miserable dollars?
Where is the respect for our womenfolk; where are we taking our youths? Who is responsible for that smut? This song must be condemned and removed from society. Surely we can do so much better for our youths.
The line must be drawn somewhere when it comes to our young people, especially in our national competitions. Our Float Parade is already laced with too much vulgarity. In my reasoning I ask myself the question if this is the road we are going to support our young men to take, to disrespect not only his mother as a woman but all women with those filthy lyrics?
Never in the history of Junior Calypso Competitions held in the Caribbean would you hear such filth coming out of the mouths of juniors. The song should not have been accepted in the first place. Is this the trash he is going to represent his country with at the Caribbean Junior Calypso competition? Is this how we intend to promote and showcase Guyana? If we do not stop this now then this will be the trend for future competitions.
Shame on the Convener, the Coordinator and especially the Ministry of Culture. I call on all women’s groups to condemn this bilge called lyrics and have them thrown in the garbage where they truly belong.
Yours faithfully,
Molly George-Simpson
