Soca Monarch semi-finalists told: Curb your big flags
Posted: Monday, February 9, 2004

By Terry Joseph

CARIBBEAN Prestige Productions International (CPPI) is not going the route of establishing a time limit for artistes appearing at the semi-final stages of this year's Soca Monarch competitions but hopes that moral suasion will be just as effective.

The 51 acts scheduled to appear at the February 11 semi-final at Skinner Park, San Fernando, were at the Queens Park Oval pavilion, primarily to draw for performing positions but also received admonitions from chief judge Roland Gordon about their stay onstage and control of fans, with particular regard to the waving of oversized flags in demonstrations of support.

Speaking at the Oval pavilion that also sat at its head table Minister in the Culture Ministry, Edward Hart and CPPI chairman William Munro, Gordon detailed the judging system.

He said: "We are not setting a maximum length for performance but we are asking you to keep your presentations to the shortest possible time, as there are 51 artistes listed to perform.

"We want that you should also ask your various posses to avoid waving the large flags because it obscures the line of sight of the rest of the audience, the television cameras and most importantly, the judges so, from every angle, it is in your interest to control yur supporters," he said.

Gordon also advised that judging will be fully computerised, forwarding scores to a central data base the minute they are compiled by judges.

CPPI marketing manager Jack Alexis said with the new prize structure, no singer at the final could be considered a loser, a concept vigorously supported later by consultant to the organisation and former Unit Trust Corporation CEO Henry Sealy.

The first prize in this year's National Lottery Classic sponsored contest is $150,000, from coffers that offer overall more than $600,000 to the final 16 contestants, inclusive of a $10,000 award to the performer who stages the most innovative but locally flavoured original presentation.

For the first time in the contest's 12-year history, competitors are coming from 13 territories, including Canada, Norway, Martinique, Suriname, New York and Miami. The final will again be broadcast internationally via the Tourism and Industrial Development Company's Carnival on the Net Project.

Apart from NLCB and TIDCO, the Caribbean Communications Network (CCN), parent company of the Express and TV6 is among the list of sponsors helping fund and promote this year's International Soca Monarch Competition, that register also including Carib Brewery, Water One, Coca Cola, the Unit Trust Corporation, Lensyl Products, Screen Stars and Fire One Fireworks.

SINGING POSITIONS FOR SEMI-FINALISTS:

1. Pelf
2. Wen D'
3. Onika Bostic
4. Soca Elvis
5. Rikki Jai
6. Impluse
7. Lil Bitts
8. Shurwayne Winchester
9. Gail Ann
10. Destra Garcia
11. Talpree
12. Melissa Rodriguez
13. Preacher
14. Patrice Roberts
15. Wanski
16. Leighanna
17. Slimmy
18. Patch
19. Genius
20. Flo PG
21. Raw
22. Lovey
23. Snakey
24. Young Marcel
25. Bunji Garlin
26. Scarface
27. Connector
28. Benjai
29. Timmy
30. SW Storm
31. Terry Seales
32. Imana
33. Sister Ron
34. Millennium Krew
35. Silent Starr
36. Multi Symptom
37. Spongy
38. Mira Mira
39. Singing Sonia
40. Olatunji Yearwood
41. Ninja
42. Blaxx
43. Tony Prescott
44. Ninja Dan
45. Michelle Sylvester
46. Mantius
47. Blazer
48. Naya George
49. Faye Ann Lyons
50. Denise Belfon
51. Sean Caruth

Courtesy Trinidad Express

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