This year's Taste of Carnival has no doubt gone sour for many as the Calypso and Extempo competitions will no longer be in the showcase.
The news was confirmed by the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians’ Organisation (TUCO) after an emergency meeting, following its meeting with the National Carnival Commission (NCC) on Tuesday.
It said the $1.5 million allocated to it was insufficient to put on both shows.
"The said $1.5 million was insufficient to host both the National Calypso Monarch and Extempo Monarch finals, the Calypso Tents, paying the accompanying band and our suppliers. Further, $1.3 million was already allocated to the various Calypso Tents throughout Trinidad and Tobago to host their shows, which left TUCO with $200,000 which was impractical to host such competitions including of prize monies.
Therefore, in the interest of Calypso and our membership, the General Council thought it prudent to defer the competitions to 2023 for a bigger and grander production," it said.
"TUCO sincerely apologises for the unavoidable inconvenience caused to the seventy (70) plus registrants for the National Calypso Monarch and Extempo Monarch competitions and directs that the Zonal Offices be contacted for a refund of the entry fee."
Instead, it said changes will be made to TUCO's involvement in this year's festivities.
Firstly, the scheduled Calypso Fiesta carded for 2 pm on Sunday 20th February 2022, at Naparima Bowl in San Fernando, will take the form of a Concert Showdown featuring calypsonians from Trinidad and Tobago.
In addition, TUCO will participate in the Dimanche Gras show on Carnival Sunday, 27th February 2022, which will take the form of a Calypso Super-Clash.
