Chutney performers want $$

An outraged Ramgobin said NCFTT assured him that prize money will be paid at the beginning of this year. “I made several calls to Minister Joan-Yuille Williams’ office and the secretary assured me the minister will schedule the prize-giving in quick time. This has been the reply for many months now,” Ramgobin said.

It has been a year since the competition took place at Skinner Park in San Fernando. The 11 finalists have been knocking on the doors of the NCFTT for redress on this matter. NCFTT president Dr Vijay Ramlal said the ministry assured him that the cheque for the 2005 winner was ready and will be released at a date to be announced. According to Ramlal the ministry owes participants over $212,000 in prize money. He said he has been talking to the director of Project Implementation Unit at the Minister of Culture’s office Dr Stanley Plowden, who assured him the cheques are ready. Plowden assured the NCFTT that the matter is left in the hands of the minister for a date for the prize-giving.

Plowden told Newsday he knows the cheques are ready and he is awaiting word from the minister for the prize-giving function.

Winners of the 2005 competition who are still waiting for prize money include Heeralal Rampartap, Vedesh Sookoo, Edward Ramdass, Dubraj Persad, Budram Holass, Omardath Maharj, Marva Mc Kenzie, Lyn Khan, Shaffiroon Mohammed and Ameela Sookoo.

Winners of this year’s Chutney Soca Monarch competition have not yet received their prize money. Ramlal said the NCFTT is waiting for the Minister of Culture to pay the monies owed to the 2005 winners before dealing with this year’s winner. The Culture Ministry was the chief sponsor of this year’s competition.

This year’s winners were asked by the NCFTT await word from the Ministry of Culture for their prize money.

This year’s competition which took place in May at Skinner Park was dedicated to the Soca Warriors. Ramdeen “Falko” Maharaj won the competition with his rendition of ‘Goal In De Pocoloi.’