?There is a popular saying which goes, "Take in front before in front take you." It basically means "be pro-active or else you will be left behind." The members of one calypso tent have taken it upon themselves to adopt that mentality and get a jump-start on the Carnival 2K11 season.
Led by tent president McMorris Edwards, the Santa Flora-based Birds Calypso tent has embarked on a series of fund-raising ventures to ensure that they do not encounter financial difficulties next year.
Their first step towards realising that goal is a party, featuring DJs Pal Joey Lewis, Alpha B and DJ Spidey, which is scheduled to be held at the Unique Hall, Santa Flora, on April 3. The tent, with its cast of 15 calypsonians, first opened its doors to culture lovers eight years ago and Edwards, who sings under the sobriquet Bro Mark, said that even though the tent's sponsorship during this year's Carnival was cut in half, it can still be self sufficient.
"Our stand is to be self-sufficient and not to have to depend on any one group of people to survive," Edwards said. Noting that there is a lack of activities in most rural areas, he said that the tent is one of the things keeping the community alive. "The community is really going down, with no activity, and all residents here will really welcome this kind of project in the area." "This has to work because we want to see the community get back to where it used to be."