Hard times hit tents

The economic downturn and a general lack of appreciation for calypso tents are to blame for the reduced showings this year.
That’s according to tent managers Merle Niles and Sharon Carew-White, of The Big Show and House of Soca, respectively.
“Sponsorship is down due to the economic downturn and, for what it costs per night [to operate], it is financially feasible to do fewer nights,” Niles told the SUNDAY SUN yesterday at the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) headquarters in West Terrace, St James.
Niles said their last show was scheduled for tonight, their sixth opening of the season.