Solid performances at Junior Soca Monarch prelims

liminaries at the Woodbrook Playboyz Steel Orchestra pan yard, on Tragarete Road, Port-of-Spain, to get a chance to compete in the finals.

Children from all across the country competed in the primary and secondary schools categories.

They displayed their talents before a large crowd singing songs on varying topics including crime, love of country and culture while encouraging those in the audience to get up and dance and wave their flags.

Some familiar faces were seen such as past winner, Aaron Duncan as well as last year’s junior primary school winner, Jeromy Rodriguez with his song “Soca Soldier”. Rodriguez who now attends Cowen Hamilton Secondary School competed in the Secondary school category.

In that category, Joshua Sargent of St George’s College charmed the audience with his vocal abilities with his song, “Carnival Is Here Again”.

At the end of his performance, he reminded the children to pick up their school books once Carnival was over.

Sarchel Smart of Tranquility Secondary sang “Flag Against Crime” where she asked persons to wave their flag if they wanted a safer Trinidad and Tobago. “We full of love...wave your flag against crime,” she sang.

Giving one of the better performances was Sasha-Ann Moses of the University of the West Indies Sixth Form school with her song “Red, White and Black”. Moses who has competed in the competition several times before, showed she knew what she was doing as she captivated those in the audience with her energetic performance, even jumping off the stage at one point. At the end, Moses received a loud applause from the audience.

Speaking to Sunday Newsday, Chairman of Caribbean Prestige Foundation Peter Scoon said most of the children performed as well as the adults and he was very pleased with the quality of their performances.

Giving their support to the children were Soca stars Ian “Bunji Garlin” Alvarez and his wife Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez and their daughter Syri.

Alvarez said he was asked by Scoon to attend the competition to support the children. He said they decided to bring their daughter so she could see how the competition goes and maybe get encouragement to be a part of it one day.

He also shared some advice to the children competing. “Believe in yourself, it is easy for people to say things that would discourage you, sometimes you need to believe in yourself and don’t think of anything else,” he said.

Alvarez added that as they are a part of history, they must learn its history and understand the craft.