SOMETIMES I DOES SIT back, take a good look at the whole Crop-Over season, and ask myself why it can’t evah run smooth.For a national festival that all kinds o’ people from over-in-away places like England, America, Canada, all kinds o’ other places, including Bajans, look forward tuh every year, I still cahn understand nor come tuh grips wid why duh does always have so much confusion in it evah single year.It look tuh me like people does be barely holding duh breath in anticipation of something happening. Some people just like excitement, duh like confusion and high drama, but it does be all at other people’s expense. Some people like tuh know dat duh got something or somebody fuh dem tuh talk ’bout. Duh ain’t easy at all.One o’ the things dat people was griping ’bout this year was the venues. I cahn tell you why duh change the venue for the finals of the junior calypso monarch from the Wildey Gymnasium tuh the National Stadium, nor the semi-finals of the Pic-O-De-Crop competition from the said gym tuh the stadium, but they did. I hear quite a few people saying dat if it ain’t broke doan fix it.Some people were saying dat last year they ain’t had nuh kinda trouble wid the rain, and dat the people who does plan these events evah year know dat it is the rainy season and the National Stadium ain’t nuh place tuh be when dat rain start tuh pelt down. Some calypso lovers were saying dat although sitting down and listening tuh 36 calypsos was hard, at least it was cool and comfortable, in a more confined space and ya had a better feeling and understanding of the calypso as you were closer tuh the performers. The same thing was expressed for the Junior Monarch at the stadium. Now while I could understand the people who came up wid the idea of the Junior Kadooment flowing into the Junior Monarch finals at the stadium, thinking dat it would have a bigger audience, it was a very long day fuh some parents who had children in the Junior Kadooment and who would’ve had tuh be there early in the day wid dem children; and still wanted later tuh catch in the Junior Monarch competition which run all up into the night. I cahn tell you why they made these changes or dat I even understand the changes at all, but hey, dem would have tuh know. I doan think it is one body who does make these kinda major changes.Anyway, while last year I was at the Gymnasium fuh the semi-finals, I wasn’t able this year tuh take on two sets o’ rain at the stadium, so I opted fuh the Junior Monarch finals instead. So this year I spent my time wid the li’l people, the young calypsonians and I ain’t gine tell you nuh lie, I had a ball! I enjoyed dem li’l people much more than the big, experienced calypsonians. I took in the last part of the Junior Kadooment and the Junior Monarch finals. It was real good. Look, dem lil people got what it takes tuh become good calypsonians if they continue tuh stay on the path dat they on. Ya see most o’ these li’l people, like Lil Az, Small One, Tall Boy, Young G, Myles-Z and he li’l brother who now making a serious name fuh dem selves, came up through the competition and took in a lot o’ grooming, so dat by the time they reach the age when they would have tuh rub shoulders wid the big boys and girls, they are going tuh be a force tuh be reckoned with.So let me say congratulations tuh the two brothers Myles-Z and Jazz-Z in the 8 to 12 group and two sisters Lil Az and Small One in the 13 to 18. Keep the good work up.
• Mavis Beckles was born and raised in The Orleans. She has an opinion on everything.
