TTCO instructs members to resign from COTT

At a meeting held by the National Chutney Foundation of Trinidad and Tobago (NCFTT) with its members last Wednesday, the following decisions were taken concerning the 2003 National Chutney Monarch Competition.

1. All competitors who are members of the Copyright Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago (COTT) have been given 14 days to withdraw their membership from COTT.

2. The five affected artistes are to perform before a panel of three judges to decide their qualification into the finals of the Chutney Monarch Competition.

3. A new date would be set for the Grand finals which was originally scheduled for May 31.

Following the meeting at D’Triangle Entertainment Centre in Aranjuez, Krishendat Singh and Vedesh Sookoo have since submitted their resignations, while a check at COTT revealed that nothing has so far come in from the other affected artistes, Drupatee Ramgoonai, Devenand Gattoo and Nigel Salickram.

When contacted yesterday, COTT’s Chief Executive Officer, Allison Demas was critical of the President of the Trinidad & Tobago Copyright Organisation (TTCO), Dr Vijay Ramlal.

She said: “He is oppressing chutney artistes. People have a right to belong to any organisation they choose.”

COTT had filed an injunction stopping the above named artistes from performing their material at the semi-finals of the Chutney competition, because the promoters had refused to pay the necessary license fees, at a show where COTT members were to perform.

That preliminary injunction had expired on April 26 when the matter came before the court. However COTT’s substantive claim for infringement is still proceeding.