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Local
june 23, 2018 THE STAR
www.stluciastar.com
Donkey Derby 2018: Who Will Be This Season’s Justify?! According to the calypsonian, the title of his song was inspired by a conversation with one of he 90s into the early 2000s Williams’ cooks who related the PM’s response to some of the were my unforgettable women of the house about the and paramount years, as calypsonian’s biting political a certified “feter” and applied commentary: student of mas and culture in the land of steelband and Leave him alone women calypso, Trinidad and Tobago. Eric Williams tell them I have quite a few narratives Is caiso men like he to tell of my annual sojourns Contribute to me to the pre-Lenten festival. One When dem caisonians sing vivid recollection takes me to Is de tourists dey bring 1993, during what the media And it is cash come in had dubbed “donkeymania". for de treasury The popular songs that year And de party were Singing Sandra & United And some for me Sisters’ “Whoa Donkey” and Ronnie McIntosh’s “The Donkey He goin to tie a noose Around his own throat Dance”. Another guy from the Give him plenty rope USVI, Mighty Pat, also jumped Is I go win into the jackass race with his All yuh let the jackass sing . . . own song about the beast of (from Chalkdust's "Let the burden which, as I recall, is Jackass Sing"). often revered in the Bible. During that aforementioned Dr. Liverpool’s lecture went carnival, if you wanted your fete on to contradict the public’s to “ram” (we say "lit" these perception of the adversarial days), the mentioned performer relationship between had to be booked. One of the calypsonian and politician, biggest fetes on Wrightson Road when he described Williams’ that year saw 12,000 patrons pivotal role in the development showing up to a 5,000 capacity venue where the donkey singers of carnival back in 1957. Williams, according to Liverpool, headlined. Suffice it to say pandemonium broke out and, as had instituted the Carnival one radio commentator said the Development Committee following day, “a few jackasses (CDC) “concertedly to develop carnival”. I am not sure that spoilt it for many.” Of course, I when recently, Prime Minister took no offence; I was among the many who had simply come Allen Chastanet quoted Sir John Compton (who I rather suspect out to have fun—not to break may have been quoting his down a fence to get in. Caribbean compatriot Williams’ The subject of donkeys infamous “jackass” statement), and horses, it would seem, has he really understood the context long fascinated calypsonians, with the underdogs often being in which he was inadvertently placing himself. referred to as the dark horses In 2007 an “uncultured” in the competition. One such (by some accounts) Chastanet calypso, I recall, which predated had persuaded Cabinet to my Trinidad expeditions, was increase the budget of what Hollis Liverpool’s (aka The some consider “Saint Lucia’s Mighty Chalkdust) “Let the main cultural showcase” to a Jackass Sing” in 1974. The whopping EC$1 million, starting song was reportedly a response the process of restructuring to then prime minister Dr. carnival. This is what then Eric Williams who, allegedly Senator Allen Chastanet, who referencing his detractors, had said: “Let the jackasses bray.” was Minister of Tourism at the time, said: “As one of the Dr. Hollis Liverpool, in leading cultural events in the a 2005 lecture, recalled the genesis of his song. The lecture country, every effort should be made to advance carnival's was titled “Dr. Eric Williams’ development. My ministry has Vision for the Development of a three-year financial plan to Carnival” and described the allow for greater expansion and leader as one who saw the development of the island’s calypsonian as “a political main cultural showpiece.” scientist in his own right.”
By Toni Nicholas
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Prime Minister Allen Chastanet (left) and MP for Anse La Raye Dominic Fedee (centre) showed up to support the concert by Herb Black (right).
It was hardly a source of pride, he said, “when we see Saint Lucian talent having to perform on a mediocre stage, with bad lighting and bad sound, giving the impression that we are all Third World. I think the talent here and the commitment is too strong to have had this happen.” In 2017, now Prime Minister Allen Chastanet again championed the improvement of all aspects of carnival, including calypso, by allocating to the event a budget of EC$3 million, which he intended to increase eventually to EC$6 million. The Events Company of Saint Lucia was also established, its stated mission being to bring the national event on a par with Jazz and other international events. Reigning over last year’s improved calypso season was the Mighty Pep, who retired from active politics for the SLP in 2015, ahead of the last general elections. Like Dr. Hollis Liverpool, Pep is a scholar. However, unlike Dr. Liverpool, who has made a tremendous contribution to calypso beyond just the calypso season, Pep often does a disappearing act as soon as the season has ended. It is that time of year again, so Pep is back. And I was quite surprised to learn this week that the gentleman had called a particular talk show to make
a contribution. Alas, when I visited social media, perchance to learn something new from the learned calypsonian, I came away feeling I had been duped. You see, dear reader, Pep had not called, as I had been led to believe. The caller was my friend Yardie. A talented artiste in his own right, he hosts the earlier cited though unidentified show on Real FM/MBC. Yardie had actually called Pep to dangle some carrots before his nose. Said the host: “We have you live here on MBC with regard to the statement made by the prime minister about the art form. What do you think of it?” This was the learned doctor’s response: “Well, I must say it’s a very sad day for the art form in Saint Lucia, you know. Saint Lucians are used to the picong during this time of the year when they give the views in the country vis-a-vis what the government is doing and there is all sort of picong going around; that is the norm and the culture of the calypso and it’s a very sad day that the head of the country could refer to members of the public as jackasses.” I couldn’t help but wonder if Pep had actually heard for himself the prime minister’s statement. In case you have not yet heard it, dear reader, here is the political jab that the leader of the UWP threw last Thursday
evening from his William Peter Boulevard platform: “Despite the calypso songs, despite what Richard Frederick may want to say, despite what the Labour Party wants to say, he [Teo Ah King] is going to make the project happen in Vieux Fort; he is going to make Vieux Fort the Pearl of the Caribbean. Yo pe!” Additionally: “For five years they promised the people of Saint Lucia an airport; for five years they could not deliver it. Yo pe! And I want to let you know that, as tough as the work has been, you can see me tonight more energized and more committed than ever before. I have taken the advice of Sir John: I don’t listen, I let the jackasses bray. All morning they can bray, but I am not taking on the donkey; I am continuing to work.” As a calypsonian Pep, of all people, should know about metaphors, figures of speech and the like. As a scholar he should have a better understanding that the PM’s inference was directed at his detractors and that he was not taking them on. But then again, maybe this week Pep chose to wear the hat of the politician. By the weekend the red propaganda machine was in full swing on Fakebook news. Some had quickly taken up the noose, placed it around their own necks, and were ready to be led down the road to Damascus. But those who
knew they were neither sheep nor spades remained calm and unperturbed. On Monday the Minister for Culture, Fortuna Belrose, offered her take: “In terms of the government’s feedback for the songs, I know that has always been an issue with respect to people singing calypso about government ministers . . . it’s the season, you know. Let’s have fun. All we ask is the fun be clean; all we want is for the fun to be respectful and for people to understand that we are living in a society where people are free to express themselves— but within the confines of the law.” Prime Minister Allen Chastanet also spoke to me on Wednesday about what he described as a “non-issue”. He said: “I have never and will never refer to calypsonians as jackasses. The reference I was making was towards the opposition. I embrace the role of the calypsonian. I see it as an art form and I think that the evidence of my support is in the amount of funds that we are allocating to calypso and carnival, and continue to allocate. I’m not someone who takes calypso lyrics personally. Calypsonians have always been inspired by the goings on in politics. That’s what the art form is all about. It is an art form I truly appreciate.” This year, the Government of Saint Lucia, through a Calypso Management Committee (CMC), is once again giving financial support to the calypso tents and their members. Each tent is benefitting from funding for two shows to the tune of EC$30,000 each. As of last year, the prize money for the various competitions, including the calypso competition, was also increased. That event, as I have said, was won by Pep, supposedly lured to return to calypso after a short stint in politics. He walked away with an increased top prize of EC$35,000. And so the Calypso Derby continues this week with the quarter-finals leading up to the semifinals and the eventual finals. It’s anyone’s guess who will turn out to be the season’s Justify!
