The South junior calypso competition kicked off on Thursday, with the preliminary round held at the auditorium of the San Fernando City Corporation.Both primary and secondary school contestants came out to perform their renditions before an audience of their teachers and peers.The show kicked off with greetings from San Fernando alderman Kenny Phillips who reflected on Machel Montano in his young age, when he sang Too Young For Soca.He wished all the contestants good luck as he told them that this was where it could all begin for them.
President of Trinbago Unified Calypsonian Organisation (Tuco) for the South/Central region, Ras Komanda told contestants not to let the publicity and awards sway them away from calypso. "Many who have had newspaper stories and awards to their name like to go into singing rags and flags, but stick to calypso," he said. The first session of the preliminary round began with the primary schoolchildren who were well represented by their peers.There were strong performances from Toni Spencer who was the lone contestant representing Vance River Roman Catholic singing Who.
Nathan and Natalia Piper, of Hard Bargain Roman Catholic, also had the crowd's attention with Who to Blame and Why.D'Angelo Prince, of St Michael's Anglican, won the crowd approval with Absentee Dad sending a strong message to the negligent fathers around the country.The secondary school segment of the competition followed with a variety of compositions, ranging from political commentary to education.Regine Clement, of Palo Seco Secondary, sent out strong advice for students telling them that "the school days that you waste may one day come back to hit you in your face." Shawnel Bishop, in his rendition Calypso in Heaven, sang that the late pioneers of calypso may still be singing their tunes in heaven.
