The chairman of the national carnival committee Noah Mills is set to announce Tuesday the national carnival committee’s decision on a clause (ARTICLE 6) that has calypsonians claiming censorship. A meeting with calypsonians last Tuesday ended in total disarray with calypsonians voting 24-0 to scrap the measure.
Mills told Winn Fm that the soca artistes and the five bands registered for road march, had voted to have the clause applied. Mills pointed out that a decision on the way forward would be made on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, former calypso monarch King Konris told Freedom Fm News desk that the unprecedented proposal was a form of censorship and was asking that it be removed. However, the Chairman of the Calypso Sub-Committee wanted to take the issues back to the National Carnival Committee legal team for their input. There was no word on whether the time line of October 5th to submit lyrics has been changed.
“This is disturbing and should be frowned upon as the National Carnival Committee through its chairman, Noah Mills, is attempting to force calypsonians to produce their creative pieces and then making a determination as to whether or not they can sing in a tent,” Maynard disclosed recently.
Veteran calypsonian Lord Black said that “after 44 years of National Carnival there has never been any controversy involving St. Kitts calypsonians and any copyright issue. Hence this sudden proposal for calypsonians to present lyrics is both surprising and shocking.”