George Singh, CEO at Southex Promotions, producer of the NLCB Lotto Plus Chutney Soca Monarch, says despite its glamour, glory and glitz the time has come for the event to be recognised as a crucial ingredient to the social fabric of T&T and a ultimately a pillar of national development.Fifteen finalists, including reigning monarch Raymond Ramnarine, will compete for a proposed first prize of $1 million at the competition, scheduled for February 15, 2014, at Skinner Park, in San Fernando.
Singh told the T&T Guardian the first prize had been proposed, but the Government has not given a commitment to underwrite the prize structure.It was for that reason, he said, that Southex could not disclose a fee structure to the media.After 18 consecutive productions, he insists that the contest, which has produced eight monarchs had clearly outgrown its status as a mere competition and should be regarded as a major driver in defining real unity in this country.
Speaking at Wednesday's launch next year's contest at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain, Singh said, "Every year, I stand here and we talk about who is coming, who are the celebrities, who to expect and how spectacular the event will be. I assure you that it will be, with all the bells and whistles you will expect when the season unfolds.
"I sometimes wonder if people realise what Chutney Soca Monarch is really about and what it represents for T&T. I have heard people refer to it as a fete, a party; people jumping up waving their flags in support of their favourite artistes, enjoying their favourite beverages. Everyone having a good time. At the end of the night a winner is crowned, fans celebrate, everyone goes back to their respective homes and then we all supposedly wait until the next year's event."
But, he asked, "Is this what Chutney Soca Monarch is about? Is this what the Government is being asked to fund? Is this what corporate T&T is being asked to support? Absolutely not."This is more than an event. What if I told you tonight that there is a social value that this event brought to T&T, would you listen? What if I told you that Chutney Soca Monarch was a way for races to connect with themselves and create a bridge to connect with other, will you believe me?
"The Chutney Soca Monarch is a celebration of music that is not yours or mine, but ours. It is the soul of our nation."The power of the brand, said Singh, transcended the boundaries of politics, race and religion and could have an impact on spiralling crime.Today, he said, the Chutney Soca Monarch was one of the most important events in the Indo-Caribbean music industry in the country and citizens must take pride in knowing they were the protagonists.
The Chutney Soca Monarch, he said, had become the launch pad for artistes to embark on wondrous careers."What if I told you that Chutney Soca Monarch provides employment and a source of income for more than 3,000 annually at Carnival time: would you pay attention? What if I told you that the service industry related to this event provides permanent employment for thousands more people? Is that something that might interest you?
"The event and its offshoots also generate foreign exchange for the country through artiste fees and visitor inflows. The Chutney Soca Monarch has created a platform for many artistes to go on to perform on stages and venues that were never before thought possible. With the growth and importance of the Chutney Soca Monarch, artistes now demand high fees."