No discrimination against the steelpan

He then continued to ask “wasn’t the official adjudicator competent to judge the music offered, regardless of the instrument?” Well be informed Mr Mohammed that the very gracious Dr Lewin did not think that she was competent enough to judge “our national instrument” and so asked to be exempted from judging any class in the competition where “our national instrument” was involved. As a result, for the preliminary round, local judges were asked to adjudicate in south and Tobago which were the places Dr Lewin had to adjudicate. Naturally for the finals, where the two adjudicators had to confer, her place obviously had to be filled once again by a local adjudicator. Clearly I do not see that as any form of discrimination.

I must however commend Dr Lewin for being open and honest and declaring herself unfit to adjudicate properly any item which involved our national instrument.

I’m sure that if Mr Mohammed had enquired from the committee for the festival on the reason for local adjudicators his concerns would have been honestly answered.