Toronto Calypso 2014

Toronto Calypso Body Moving Backwards

By William Doyle-Marshall

The Organization of Calypso Performing Artistes (OCPA) headed by Collin Benjamin, held its first major meeting for the year and members overturned a board of directors’ decision to punish one of last year’s Calypso Monarch finalists – Pat McNeilly (Panman Pat).

McNeilly walked off the stage during performance of his second selection in the competition due to what he termed a technical problem involving the sound and the accompanying band. Despite his action the judges marked his performance rather than disqualifying him from the contest. Subsequently the board met and decided McNeilly would not be paid his appearance fee as the other contestants because members felt he had embarrassed them. McNeilly was not summoned to the meeting so he had no chance to defend his action competition night. At Saturday’s meeting he informed the leadership of the organization that its action was illegal therefore its decision should be set aside.

Judging of calypsos has been a sore point for decades even back in the Calypso mecca – Trinidad and Tobago. Often calypso fans question judges’ ruling. We learn that McNeilly’s walking off stage last year was seen as part of his act by the judges. That amounts for his high placing in the contest’s final tally. If that is not judging incompetence then I don’t know the difference between rain and snow. In attempting to defend the illegal and unconstitutional action Benjamin and his supporters claimed this was a new development and there were no precedents to follow. However the majority voted that the decision should be rescinded and McNeilly’s appearance fee be paid to him. Benjamin and his team were reminded that ignorance of the law as no excuse. In any democratic court the defendant or accused has to be given the opportunity to defend himself or herself. Because the board’s decision was made in what was termed a ‘kangaroo style setting’ members could not go along with it.

It felt as though calypsonians were getting ready to take matters in their hands and ensure the board of directors follow the dictates of democratic operations. They signaled to leadership that serious action is needed in a number of areas. The practice by deejays of playing mainly foreign calypsos in Canadian calypso tents; getting local deejays to play Canadian calypsos at parties and on the Carnival festival parade route; making available to steelbands compositions by Canadian composers and hiring new musicians for Calypso Monarch finals while those who worked with the singers during the season were cast aside were among issues raised at Saturday’s meeting. The prevailing mood felt as though membership is preparing to advocate for their concerns to be addressed satisfactorily.

Funding of calypso tents has been a major issue within recent times. Consequently Master’s Cove Tent did not receive any financial support for two consecutive years. Benjamin and his board argued that organizers of the tent failed to follow OCPA rules and that resulted in the tent not being funded. The dispute arose over days of operation. OCPA expected the tent to open on Friday nights and had gone ahead informing its sponsors of this without properly consulting with operators of De Master’s Cove. Every singer in that tent was bona fide dues paying members of the Organization of Calypso Performing Artistes (OCPA).  Despite having paid their dues to OCPA for 2013 the organization refused to acknowledge the tent over a very petty matter that could have been resolved. At a previous meeting membership voted that all three tents are to be funded this year. Very interesting Benjamin told members the other two tents -- Professionals and Kaiso Forum -- will receive the same amount of funding as they did last year. But he has to find a way to obtain financial resources for De Master’s Cove. Some members publicly expressed the sentiment that all Calypso tents should receive equal funding. If OCPA withheld funding from one tent over the last two years their money should be in the bank. If it is not then the executive must account to membership: when was the decision made to utilize the excess money that should have gone to De Master’s Cove. Is OCPA spending calypsonians’ money without authorization?

After staging its Calypso Monarch festival for many years, OCPA should have the formula down pat by now. Clearly this is not the case. At the April meeting members received a schedule of activities for 2014. But it is safe to conclude that no consultation was made before the list of events was presented. Professionals Calypso Tent spokesperson expressed surprise. OCPA listed calypso tent dates as June 20 through July 13. But that tent is scheduled to open June 14 and close July 5. The dates were booked long in advance whereas OCPA did not consult with tent operators before springing its surprise list on members. This prompted the organization’s leadership to set a tent managers’ meeting for April 30. This is certainly a case of putting the cart before the horse. Is this the kind of professionalism calypsonians can expect for this summer? It surely looks shoddy.