Due to financial constraints, the possibility of staging Renegades Tent this year looks slim.
This is what Financial Manager of Renegades Camp, Narrin ‘Trendsetter’ Murphy, told Dominica News Online (DNO) on Wednesday.
Renegades Tent was formed last year by a group of calypsonians who broke away from Mas Camp to form their own tent.
“As we speak nothing has been finalized in terms of going ahead with a tent, because one of the things we do not subscribe to is having a tent and at the end of the exercise, tell your artist that we cannot pay them. So we prefer to look at our finances properly and only move ahead in that direction when we know we have reasons to do so,” he said. “So, it’s more a no than a yes. It is sort of on a pause, re-strategizing and reorganizing.”
According to Murphy, financial decisions are made in the interest of their artistes and, “to ensure that they can be compensated for their sacrifices at the end of the season.”
However he noted, “things may change tomorrow if other things fall into place in terms of finances.”
He described Renegades members as artistes with principles, “and we stand by what we believe in.”
He added, “We are out there to give calypsonians, especially the less privileged ones, an avenue to showcase their talent.”
When asked if he intends to return to Mas Camp, his response was, “No.”
Meanwhile, Mas Camp Tent organizer Daryl Bobb, told DNO on Wednesday, that the calypsonians who formed the Renegades Tent left last year without informing management of Mas Camp so, “they cannot just walk back in.”
“None of them last year informed us that they were moving on to Renegades…I don’t think it is even courtesy to Renegades itself to assume that it is not functioning and accept their members back,” Bobb explained.
“No member of the Renegades Tent has approached us to tell us that Renegades is not functioning this year. Therefore, we cannot assume that Renegades is not functioning and accept their members. That is absolute madness,” he exclaimed.
He said a few of Renegades members have been approaching some Mas Camp members to seek information as to the possibility of returning to Mas Camp, “but no member of Renegades Management or ownership have approached us to say Renegades is not functioning this year.”
He continued, “This is an organization we are running, we are developing people, we have to give people a chance to develop themselves and not be distracted and take the limelight out of people who are not serious and feel like they can walk out and walk back in when they want.”
Bobb said for that reason, Mas Camp was not prepared to accept Renegades “just like that” because, “it was very rude last year how they did their thing…And I still feel sorry, but at the same time there is a way that people are supposed to do things and show respect for each other. At the same time most of them remain friends of ours, but on a business standpoint we don’t do things like that.”
Mas Camp returns on Friday at the Harlem Plaza from 8:30pm.
Close to 20 calypsonians will perform at Mas Camp this year.
Take a loan of a million dollars from one of the following: Berrice Hammond, NDFD, or skerrit. Then let Rosemary from Mahaut do the organising.
When will Dominicans wearing suits and jackets learn to remove the tag on the end of their sleeve.. smh.. i’ve been seeing this goin on for a long time by Dominicans all over the world.. please remove the tag on your sleeve sir including you Bob
V you call that intention of returning after using, you take that tag off the return policy would be dead at the door. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
The 2 of you are to greddy thats why the camp will die.
Bob is a workaholic. He is not greedy but fair and square. From the very little I know, I will not be surprised if the other guy is truly greedy.
Trendy you spend all your energy hitting the PM all over the place, you could’ve done like Linton and have radiothons so now you would have some funds to be running rite now. I for one was looking forward for your tent this year, mass camp will not be my thing, am waiting to hear your new songs hope you did better this year, like I told you last year you had a great song but you was on your high horse, I hope you got off that high horse.
why are you Dominicans so argumentative. That is why you cannot move forward or get on with each other. I mean something so simple like a calypso tent. I truly believe that it is because of political reasons. I say no more at this stage because this is Dominica for you nothing is straight forward.
@ UK this does not have nothing to do with politics it has more to do with greed, and the art form is very much on decline, these songs these people put out there is all the same every year and they beating their chest like they are the best. every other country that has calypso for their carnival their songs can be heard in other islands, well the kings that is DA king song stays in DA only and die, not even after carnival you would really hear the king song played. But that’s what happen when you have a puppet master.