We’ll deal with TUCO after Carnival

What at first was a finalists cast of 15, grew by two after Steele was upgraded from reserve to full finalist after she threatened the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO) with a lawsuit if she was not placed in the finals and substantive finalist Nedd remained. Steele argued that Nedd was ineligible to be a finalist on the basis of her Vincentian nationality.

Not to be outdone, Nedd filed an injunction against TUCO in the San Fernando High Court and was successful in having TUCO dropping her from the finals, overturned. Nedd’s lawsuit caused the finals draw for position on Thursday to be postponed to yesterday pending the outcome of the late night court hearing.

But yesterday at the draw, there was love between the two veteran calypsonians.

“I haven’t been this close to Lady Gypsy until today so any bad blood…I don’t know where that talk would have come from, because this is just sisters in calypso dealing with issues affecting them.

When that situation arose of me being disqualified, I just wanted to show them that at the end of the day if you have rules, then at least you are supposed to share the rules. Is there a hand book? If there was one I would understand that I cannot perform. Until then I would stand in my ground, and successfully I’m back in,” Nedd said as she hugged Steele.

Asked how she feels about her chances at grabbing the crown, Nedd said: “I am already a winner by making the stage (in the finals). So where I eventually place does not matter to me as long as my message gets sent.” For her part, Steele said she was always confident she would be in the finals.

“I feel vindicated because in the beginning, I was supposed to be there in the first place. One thing with me, I am a strong person. I am a fighter and I will continue to fight for what is right,” Steele said.

And how does she view her chances? “Very good. If I get victimised it doesn’t matter to me, I get used to it over the years for the kind of songs I like to sing. So it doesn’t bother me anymore. They can do what they want. After this is over (the finals) I will have a lot more to say.” At the draw yesterday, finalist Anthony “All Rounder” Hendrickson called on “my brothers and sisters” to show more love among each other within the fraternity. “I am begging allyuh, if I die tonight at 77, I want allyuh to promise me to show more love to each other,” Hendrickson implored.

Steele’s brother, Winston “Gypsy” Peters, who is singing right after her in position ten tomorrow night, said of his own chances, “On Sunday what I am going to do is what I have been accustomed doing for the past twenty something years.” The one-time monarch added: “I am just going to go ahead and sing my song, entertain the people and let the judges do their work.

That’s the best I am going to do,” Following is the order of appearance and song.

1 Marsha ‘Lady Adana’ Clifton......................................... Social Media
2 Kurt”The Last Badjohn of Calypso”Allen...................... My My Corn Tree
3 Devon Seale I Carmona .......................... (Reigning Monarch)
4 Meguella Simon ............................................ Still Colonial
5 Anthony “All Rounder” Hendrickson............................. To Be An Icon
6 Victoria “Queen Victoria” Cooper-Rahim...................... The Call To Pray
7 Lornette “Fya Empress” Nedd-Reid............................. Guilty
8 Terri Lyons ............................................ The Phrase
9 Lynette “Lady Gypsy” Steele........................................ Plight of My People
10 Winston “Gypsy” Peters ............................................ Angry Land
11 Karene Asche Caught In The Whirlwind
12 Roderick “Chuck” Gordon ............................................Wah Yuh Doing
13 Rondell Donawa ............................................ Lip Service
14 Weston “Cro Cro” Rawlins............................................ Final Send Off
15 Sacha Ann Moses ............................................ Main Witness
16 Heather Mc Intosh ............................................ Games
17 Dr Hollis “Mighty Chalkdust” Liverpool......................... Learn From Arithmetic