2019 a ‘make or break’ year for Mas Camp says Valda Henry

Dice performing at a Showdown Mas Camp

Dr. Valda Henry Chairperson of Showdown Mass Camp says, 2019 may determine the future of the event which kicks off tonight from 8:00 o’clock at the Old Mill Cultural Centre.

Ms. Henry says sponsorship to run the event has proven to be difficult over the years.

“And then you begin to ask yourself and you say okay, so why do we have all these problems getting sponsorship? All of these problems keeping these things together?”she asked.

Dr, Henry said that they have discussed the problem as an executive and even some calypsonians have discussed the issue of sponsorship. She highlighted the fact that sometimes the fees were left for the executive and calypsonians to finish off.

“I remember once they say, if we don’t get sponsorship, let’s just not do a tent because at the end of the day, we carry the cost; members of the executive and the calypsonians carry the cost.”

“ When you don’t get paid or you get paid so minimally that you performed an entire season for free, and while yes we have some calypsonians who have other jobs but for some calypsonians that is like a big time …………for you to earn something decent and then if you don’t earn it, then you are back again to why should we continue with this thing,” She added.

Ms. Henry said with all the discussions that have taken place, this year’s Mass Camp is really going to be a make or break year for them.

Fourteen calypsonians will be performing at Mas Camp Tent this year including Dice, Bobb and Sye.

 

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7 Comments

  1. Class
    January 21, 2019

    Mass camp is a waste off time..I don’t even bother go to this camp..

  2. LAST Chance
    January 19, 2019

    The truth is, 2019 is a Make or break year for DA on a whole. The country is in serious, serious, serious trouble and this is our LAST CHANCE. See where Skerrit and his gang put Dominica. Apart from killing the banana industry, shipping our international airport to St. Vincent and then, shipping our baby, Ross University to Barbados, the DLP destroyed our image to the point that we as a small country is involved in all kinds of investigation, whether it is in St. Kitts with Denzel Douglas and our diplomatic passport, in Venezuela with all kinds of corruption, in Iran with Monfared, in Nigeria with Diezani Madueke, in the US, where the US Senate wrote Congress in September of 2018, to see what secret work Trump’s attorney, Rudolph Guiliani did for Dominica as they continue to investigate the Russia/ Iran oil sanction. I mean apart from us not having an economy and Skerrit took our jobs from us so we could beg him, the man destroyed our image. 2019 is a Make or break year for us

  3. Zandoli
    January 19, 2019

    I think this goes beyond sponsorship. If there was sufficient demand sponsorship would not have been required. Despite its cultural significance, it is likely too few people embrace that aspect of our culture, or we just don’t have a large enough market for that sort of repetitive activity. Therefore either the you do a couple of big shows, or as stated in the article it will naturally die.

    Although I believe there is a place for supporting the arts, I do not believe in perpetual support. If the product is good, marketed properly and a market exist, support show be provided to get it going, but eventually the activity must be self-supporting.

  4. DC
    January 18, 2019

    Who is to be blamed? When we have a majority of the songs written for the sole purpose of attempting to castigate the Government, then, you will not see a return on your investment. People have had it with these songs focusing on the same topics. Where is the creativity? When the camp starts bringing out material that is Internationally recognized, focus less on one man and more on Global issues, then, it will capture the attention of more people and not the supporters of the minority party. Go back to the drawing board, think Dominica, think Global, and stop making the camp a political one. Until then, most of the calypsonians work will be in vain and Mass Camp will continue to suffer a loss.

    • KID ON THE BLOCK
      January 20, 2019

      I concur, DC, . Dem man need to come better than that.
      We have had enough of those non constructive calypsoes that dies as soon as carnival is over.
      Like you said, THEY concentrate their songs to castigate the government and the PM, YEAR IN YEAR OUT.

      • Let Democracy Prevail
        January 21, 2019

        I understand that there are too many political songs in Mass Camp, but after the season is over do you hear any radio station playing calypsos that were sung in Stardom? We must learn to market/cherish what is our own.

    • Frank N Stein
      January 21, 2019

      DC I do have to agree with you as much as I want Skerrit to Go!! We have to be honest with ourselves despite our political affiliation. WE must separate the art from politics. People are so polarized that if your song is not about the govt they figure your song is not good enough. WE need to learn to separate politics from everything else Avaweetay.

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