"AFTER being placed as a reserve for the Calypso Monarch finals at Dimanche Gras this coming Sunday, Calypsonian Lynette “Lady Gypsy” Steele has been upgraded as a full-fledged finalist after she successfully challenged her exclusion from the list of finalists".
© Trinidad Newsday. Read the rest of the story here: http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,240123.html
"They Thief, they thief, we want to see the score sheet"; you know the refrain, we have a problem and we are cognizant of the fact that not everyone can get into the finals of a competition. However, with one of the most popular songs for Carnival 2017, it was amazing that Lady Gypsy did not make it to the finals. She was relegated to the reserve singer position even though she scored the same number of points All Rounder who was selected at position number fifteen. At this point, they should have announced a tie for the last position and the issue of Fya Empress' citizenship would not have been a topic for discussion.
Oh how quickly things have changed. The Trinidad Newsday has reported that after Lady Gypsy and her lawyer challenged TUCO's position and she (Lady Gypsy) has been upgraded to a finalist. However, her challenge and the decision to 'let her participate as a finalist' still leaves a bitter taste in one's mouth... we need some clarification since Fya Empress' citizenship has been contested as it relates to the competition rules. Fya Empress was disqualified from the competition because of her nationality. One has to be a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago to participate in the competition.
The score sheet(s) have revealed that both Lady Gypsy and All Rounder scored the same number of points for the competition but All Rounder got in and she did not... why? Was is a sexist decision, based on the perennial topic of 'yuh cyar say nothing bad about the PNM and get it' or is there something else in play? We still need answers!
Secondly, Lady Gypsy's grievance was with the inclusion of Tobago resident Fya Empress. Just about everyone knows that Fya Empress, a former Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Monarch, is a citizen of Saint Vincent but is or was married to a citizen of Tobago (a Trini). Tuco's rules stated that one must be a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago to participate in this competition... this is not the Soca Monarch!
We have not seen a statement from TUCO addressing the two areas we discussed:
Why was Lady Gypsy left out having scored the same number of points as All Rounder?
Why was Fya Empress allowed to participate knowing her citizenship. The fact that she is not a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago... they broke the rules they created and have now embarrassed themselves by having to disqualify Fya Empress.
We are happy that Lady Gypsy is in the finals. However, we are not happy regarding the lengths she had to go to to get there. Fya Empress is 'More Trini that many born Trinis'! She loves Trinidad and Tobago and has lived on the island of Tobago for many years. Sokah2Soca is a fan of Fya Empress. and understand the hurt she is probably experiencing at this time. After all she won the 2012 NWAC Calypso Queen Competition designating her Calypso Queen of Trinidad and Tobago... what a shame!
All's well that ends well; we need to say that to comfort ourselves. We need to hear from TUCO regarding this controversy. In the interim may the best man/woman emerge unscathed and become the next Calypso Monarch of Trinidad and Tobago.
All's well that ends well; we need to say that to comfort ourselves. We need to hear from TUCO regarding this controversy. In the interim may the best man/woman emerge unscathed and become the next Calypso Monarch of Trinidad and Tobago.