Chutney Foundation hits ‘draconian’ COTT

The National Chutney Foundation of Trinidad and Tobago (NCFTT) has dubbed as “draconian” the Copyright Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago (COTT) for bringing an injunction to stop artistes performing their songs at the recently scheduled semi-finals of the National Chutney Monarch Competition.

In a statement yesterday, NCFTT said: “This action by COTT has caused the NCFTT and its members to suggest that all artistes who would like to participate in any events/shows/competitions can be faced with similar draconian actions by COTT”. The NCFTT also complained it had not yet received a promised subvention from the Government. Meanwhile Rene Coryat, vice president of the Trinidad and Tobago Copyright Organisation (TTCO) which like the NCFTT is also headed by Vijay Ramlal, clarified that the call for Chutney Monarch Competition artistes to resign from COTT had not come from TTCO but from the NCFTT. He said that any artiste wishing to sever its links to COTT could use the TTCO’s attorneys, headed by Gillian Lucky, for free up until Wednesday.