The recently announced disqualification of a six-year-old pupil from a Mashramani Calypso competition on the grounds that the lyrics of her calypso did not fit the guidelines for songs in her age-group, has raised the ire of many, including the Working People’s Alliance (WPA).
As far as the WPA is concerned, the explanation put forth by the government “insults the intelligence of Guyanese,” and begs the following questions: a) since when children are disqualified from engaging in social and political commentary? b) which part of the constitution bars schoolchildren from singing songs that comment on topical issues? c) if children are permitted to sing songs which are considered “jam and wine”, why are they banned from singing songs with serious lyrics? d) can the government say what moral or other forms of danger can singing such a calypso bring to the child in question and children in general? and e) if the calypso violated the “guidelines,” why it was not disqualified during the preliminary stages of the competition and why now.