(Trinidad Express) Dethroned as Chutney Soca Monarch in February, entertainer Rikki Jai on Saturday night won the 50th anniversary Independence Chutney Soca Monarch finals.
Jai beat out nine other competitors at Skinner Park in San Fernando, including early favourites Kenneth Supersad, Drupatee Ramgoonai and this year’s Chutney Soca winner, Kris “KI’‘ Persad, to win the TT$500,000 first prize.
Jai’s Independence tribute song was entitled “Mother Trinbago’‘.
With each artiste staging theatrical productions in support of their patriotic songs, Jai won the competition with lyrics that remembered the country’s 500-year history, its colonial past, slavery, indentureship and the diversity of its ethnic mix. On hand to witness the finals were Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Dr Lincoln Douglas, Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal, San Fernando Mayor Dr Navi Muradali and chairman of Caribbean Airlines, Rabindra Moonan. The show was put on by Southex Promotions and the prize money was sponsored by the State.
The production got off more than an hour late and it was only at around 3 a.m yesterday that the winner was declared.
The crowd was only a fraction of what is witnessed at big Carnival shows. Some blamed the threat of rain and less-than-aggressive marketing for the poor turnout.
