Soca News : May 2013
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SOCANEWS Free i104/may 2013 ISSN 1464-7087 socanews.com AUGUST 2013
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Soca News | May 2013 | Issue 104
Transcript of Soca News : May 2013
MAY 2013 SNM 1
SOCANEWSFreei10 4/may 2013ISSN 1464-7087socanews.com
AUGUST 2013
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FEATURES10 HEALTH Prostate Cancer
12 ARE YOU THE NEXT MISS TRINIDAD & TOBAGO UK?
15 2013 CARNIVAL & FESTIVALS DIARY
20 WHAT IS SOCA
34 ROTTERDAM UNLIMITED
36 WHOSE CARNIVAL?
38 SAINT LUCIA JAZZ FESTIVAL
SOCA PEOPLE17 LUTENANTS The Sleeping Giants
18 MS DESIRE 2012 UK Groovy Soca Monarch
REGULAR07 NEWS For all the latest UK and Caribbean based news stories.
28 EVENTS Where to go and what to do
44 TRAVEL Airport Passenger Duty
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contents05/2013
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The views expressed in Soca News are not necessarily the views of the editor or the publisher. All material contained within this publication is the copyright of Soca News. No material, written or photographic may be reproduced in any way without the written permission of the publisher. No liability will be accepted for any errors which may occur within the magazine.
FEELING LEFT OUT?If you are a promoter, artists, prroducer, carnival organiser, mas band, steelband, soca sound, community group or other participant who's feeling sore because we didn't mention your event, music, band or just something you think the world should know about. The remedy is in your hands. Use them to pick up the telephone now, dial + 44 (0) 7931 967 213 and tell us about your plans. Or write to us at Soca News, PO Box 13032, London, NW1 3WF; or email us at: [email protected]. Remember, Soca News is the only magazine dedicated to the music and culture of Carnival. Our readers include soca-lovers, band-leaders, promoters, DJs and carnival arts funders. But if you don't tell Soca News, we can't tell our readers!
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CHECK OUT15 CARNIVAL LISTING Get your diary ready
22 INTERVIEW Martina Laird - Daughter of the Islands
32 FEATURE Photographer - Fiona Compton
40 CARNIVAL ARTS
42 MAS BANDS
46 ST LUCIAN ASSOCIATION OF LONDON
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THIS ISSUE OF SOCA NEWS WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
PUBLISHER & EDITOR Joseph Charles
SUB-EDITOR Katie Segal
LAYOUT & DESIGN Joseph Charles
SOME OF OUR WRITERSKatie Segal, Michelle Johnson, Nicole-Rachelle Moore, Stephen Spark
THE MEN WITH THE CAMERAS Cleon Henry, Victor Morris, Chris Boothman, Stephen Spark
ADVERTISING SALES + 44 (0) 845 257 7622
PUBLISHED BYJoseph Charles Publishing86 - 90 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NE
CONTACT USTelephone + 44 (0) 845 257 7622Twitter twitter.com/socanewsFacebook facebook.com/socanews1Website socanews.com
The year for me kicked off with Trinidad carnival, which seems so long ago now. As always it was a ball. But being in this business means that there are many balls to come on that neverending conveyor of carnivals, festivals, fetes and social gatherings.
This month, London will be awash with band launches, as band leaders try to capture the market with their daring creations and price busting costumes - which can now range from £75 to £300 or even more, so start saving. I have counted at least 20 different events taking place between 1 and 31 May; check our events listing on pages 28 to 30, and for additional information visit socanews.com/events.
We have also included a list of mas bands and their contact details (where available) for your perusal. Always remember, don’t just spectate – participate; the listings can be found on pages 42 and 43.
You can also find a run down of UK and Caribbean carnival dates on page 34, and it’s not too late for you to plan that trip to St Lucia, Barbados, or one of the other islands with excellent summer carnivals; for flights and information call Caribbean Reunion Club on 020 7344 0101.
For more information about all news and carnival-related events, and to find some sweet soca music to listen to (and videos to watch), go to our website at www.socanews.com.
As a famous rabbit once said: “That all folks”.
Yours in socaJoseph CharlesThe Editor
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COVER PICMs Desire, 2012 UK Groovy SOca Monarch
EDITOR'S LETTER
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World in the West Endlondon
On Sunday May 12th, Trinidad and Tobago will put itself on the map at the World in the West End event in Central London. From 11am until 6pm, Regent Street will become a pedestri-anised showcase of music & dance, food & drink, and arts & crafts. Other countries taking part in the festival are as diverse as Egypt, the UK, China, Turkey.
The taste of Trinbago culture will include en-tertainment on stage and rum and chocolate tastings throughout the day in the renowned ‘Tobagolator’. You can expect a truly Caribbean welcome, with steel pan, soca dancing and live music from resident bands to get you in the partying mood. There will be plenty of oppor-tunity to sample Caribbean cuisine, from roti to salt cod fritters, washed down with a refresh-ing rum cocktail or two. Enjoy an explosion of colour from flamboyant carnival girls grooving to the sounds of catchy soca tunes (3 Canal will be performing). There will even be a chance to win a holiday for two to Tobago.
To join the fun, you can follow TnT_SteelyPan on twitter, or find him on facebook at www.facebook.com/AdventuresOfSteelyPan.
reading carnival cancelled There will be no Reading Carnival for 2013. The organis-ers of the event broke the news on their facebook page where they citied a lack of sponsorship as the reason for the cancellation of this year’s event.
However, they vowed to be back bigger and better in 2014.
Guyana's 47thThe South American nation, the only English-speaking country on the continent, achieved its freedom on May 26th, 1966 after more than 200 years of British rule; it became a republic four years later on 23 February 1970. Known as ‘The Land of Many Waters’, Guyana is one of the few Caribbean countries that is not an island. It is a mem-ber of CARICOM, the Caribbean Community, which has its secretariat headquartered in the capital Georgetown, and is also a founding member of the Union of South American Nations.
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caribbean day at the bournemouth food festivalThe Bournemouth Food and Drink Festival, now in its third year, has seen a lot of growth; in 2011, the footfall for the main three days of the festival was 50,000; by 2012, this had increased to 92,000. Because of this, and as D’CoalPot Caribbean Grill had such a successful debut last year, they have been invited to put together a Caribbean Day. This year, the festival will run for 10 days from 21st June; Caribbean Day is Saturday 22 June!
The emphasis will always be the food, but Caribbean Day will be showcasing other aspects of Caribbean culture as well. The theme for the day is ‘Food - Fashion – Music’, and will celebrate the very best of these art forms from the region. They will be offering traditional Caribbean dishes, a masquerade (carnival costume) parade, live steel pan, and folklore storytelling.
Martin Jay will be taking a coach load of Wotless Limers down for the day. For more information, go to: www.bournemouthfoodanddrink.co.uk or find the restaurant or the festivals’ facebook pages.
T&T in Charity Spring FairThe Children and Families Across Borders’ (CFAB) Inter-national Spring Fair opens its doors for the 54th time on the 14th and 15th May at Kensington and Chelsea Town Hall, Hornton Street, London W8. CFAB is a unique UK-based charity, and is part of the International Social Service (ISS) network, which has branches in over 120 countries and helps to protect the rights of children and vulnerable adults across international borders.
Every year, over 80 diplomatic missions take part in the fair, by each hosting a stall which sells products and food that are exclusive to their nation. This year, Trini-dad and Tobago will be taking part, with rum punch, jewelry and snacks for sale. The fair attracts over 6,000 visitors each year, bringing a taste of different cultures and cuisine to London’s doorstep.
In 2011, CFAB provided direct assistance to over 2,000 children and families. For more information about the charity, please visit www.cfab.org.uk.
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Gear up for Luton International Carnival 2013 UK carnivals kick off with the Luton International Carnival, taking place at Wardown Park on Sunday 26th May. From 1:30pm, carnival goers will be treated to an eclectic mix of live music featuring both local and international artists. Music genres will include reggae, samba, soca, jazz and rock,with artists such as reggae sensation Peter Hunningale, soca star Scrappy, the UK’s foremost samba band Rhythms of the City, Afro-jazz from Heritage Survival Band, not to mention local singer Teela2u and rock band Charlie Indestructible. “We’re delighted to pre-sent such a diverse and high quality music pro-gramme for Luton International Carnival 2013. The programme takes its inspiration from many cultures from around the world, and speaks to all generations,” says Pax Nindi, Artistic Director.
At its heart, of course, lies the street parade, the breath-taking procession which will wind through Luton’s town centre before finding its way back to Wardown Park.
Liverpool Carnival and Brazilica michelle johnson
The city of Liverpool will experience its third annual helping of Brazilica in July. It’s Britain’s largest festival of Brazilian culture, a celebration which kicks off on Friday 12th July and continues until Liverpool Carni-val on Saturday 20th July. With over 60,000 visitors in 2011 and 80,000 in 2012, it is expected that 2013 will see the largest influx of revellers yet.
2012 saw the festival nominated for a Best Cultural Event awards at the Brazilian International Press Awards and the Juice RM Style Awards. “It’s so exciting to watch Brazilica grow year on year, both in terms of audience and the range of art forms and events on offer… we’re very proud of what we’ve achieved, and hope to continue to bring the party to Liverpool for many years to come. It’s an unrivalled chance to experience Brazilian culture, music, food and sport in the UK,” says Maeve Morris, Artistic Direc-tor of Liverpool Carnival Company.
The programme is again set to showcase the best of Brazilian arts and culture; organisers will stage Brazil-ian film screenings, a ‘Soccer Zone’ with skills classes, a celebrity five-a-side football match, mesmeric drumming from some of the world’s best samba bands and dancers and colossal floats, plus the annual Carnival Ball and Carnival Queen competition.
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prostate cancer - a hard nut to crack A quarter of a million men in the UK are living with prostate cancer. You’d think, then, that we’d all know about it and how to deal with it, yet, in comparison with breast cancer, it still has a low profile. Indeed, many men would be hard-pressed to say where their prostate is or what it does, far less know when it’s going wrong. The prostate gland lies under the bladder and creates some of the fluid that carries sperm. Cancer isn’t the only problem to affect the walnut-sized gland – it can become enlarged, inflamed or infected. The problems are commonest in men over 50 years old, and there are genetic and ethnic elements in the risk of developing prostate cancer. Men of African Caribbean origin are three times more likely to develop prostate cancer than white men of the same age, and if a man’s or father or brother has had it, the risk increases two and a half times. Whether you’re in a higher-risk group or not, some warning signs to look out for are when you start feeling the need to urinate more often, or feel that your bladder hasn’t emptied completely. A sudden need to urinate or a weak flow can also be symptoms of a prostate problem. As with any other health issue, the sooner you get it checked out the better – for your own peace of mind, if there’s nothing seriously wrong, or to get the best chance of successful treatment if there is. Even if you have no symptoms, men over 50 are entitled to a prostate cancer test. Men of African and African Caribbean origin, and those who have a family history of prostate problems, should go to their GP to discuss the matter once they reach their 40s. When it comes to your prostate, don’t wait. As well as talking to your GP, you can discuss any concerns, in confidence, with Prostate Cancer UK’s specialist nurses on 0800 074 8383, or visit the charity’s website, www.prostatecanceruk.org. There’s also a community specialist nurse available for one-to-one consultations.
For more information, contact Suresh Rambaran: 0800 074 8383; email: [email protected].
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Have you ever thought of yourself as a role model? Perhaps not, but Carivog Interna-tional is offering one confident, adventur-ous lady the opportunity to be just that. Carivog has begun the search for candi-dates for this year’s Miss Trinidad & Tobago UK Pageant and Cultural Showcase, which will take place in September. You can enter if you’re 18 years or older, have at least one parent or grandparent from Trinidad and Tobago, are at least 5ft 4in tall, have no children and live in the UK. As you’re expected to be a great ambassador for Trinidad and Tobago, you’ll need to have good presentation and communication skills. As well as promoting your country of heritage, you’ll also be starting on your own ‘journey of self-discovery’, through de-veloping your interpersonal skills, personal grooming and stage dynamics – skills that will provide lasting benefits. Last year’s winner, Janelle Fraser, said: “The other contestants and I have all become such good friends. I loved learning new things about Trinidad the most. For me, it was about taking on something new.” For more, search for her interview at socanews.com. To find out how to take part, call the programme director and producer, Angela Cox, on 020 8875 9975 or 07958 336694, or email [email protected]. And don’t forget to check out Miss Trinidad and Tobago UK on Facebook and Twitter (@MissTTUK). Applications close in June.
Are you the next Miss Trinidad & Tobago UK?
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2013 CARNIVAL & FESTIVALS DIARY
august 20133 Scotiabank Caribbean Canada Carnival Toronto
3 Leicester Carnival Leicester, UK
4 Birmingham Carnival Birmingham, UK
5 Crop Over Festival Barbados
5, 6 Antigua Carnival Antigua
10 Manchester Carnival Manchester, UK
12, 13 Spicemas Grenada
23 Leeds Carnival Leeds, UK
25, 26 Notting Hill Carnival London, UK
May 20134 Batabano Cayman Islands
17 Berlin Carnival Germany
21 Zimbabwe Carnival Zimbabwe
26 Luton Carnival Luton, UK
26 Preston Carnival Preston, UK
june 20138 Tampa Carnival Florida, USA
15 Rotterdam Unlimited Netherlands
27 St Kitts Music Festival St Kitts & Nevis
29 Greenford Carnival London, UK
july 20136 St Pauls Carnival Bristol, UK
6 Acton Carnival London, UK
15, 16 St Lucia Carnival St Lucia
25 Tortola Carnival British Virgin Islands
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lutenantsSo who are the Lutenants?A soca singing duo from the UK.
Where did the name come from? We derived the name from our personality traits. Our determination and passion is geared to a militant level.
You have a pretty unique sound. Is that natural, or are you pumped full of auto cue?Technology is always going to play its part, but you would be hard pressed to find another act that sounds better than us live. You can't fake live.
You competed in the UK soca monarch com-petition last year. Will you be taking part again this year?No. We will not be taking part in the competition for the foreseeable future.
Where does the inspiration for your songs come from?We are inspired by anything and everything in our environment. The UK soca scene is that environment.
Your songs don't have typical soca song names. Where do they come from? For example, Sleeping Giants, I thought it was the name of a Grimm fairy tale. It’s an objective of ours to create music that stands apart from the rest. There is no creative boundary.
What can we look forward to from Luten-ants next?Lots more music.
You're called the Lutenants; what are your fans called? Privates?Fans can call themselves whatever they want, be-cause they have the power. We don't think 'Privates' is a very fetching title though lol.
If you had a magic wand, what is the one thing you would do to change soca music here in the UK? Change the mentality of the major labels in order to maximise the potential of soca.
To keep up with Lutentants, find them at:yo u t u b e : yo u t u b e . c o m / l u t e n a n t s t vT w i t t e r : @ l u t e n a n t s lt & @ t e a m l u t e n a n t sfa c e b o o k : fa c e b o o k . c o m / l u t e n a n t sR e v e r b n at i o n : r e v e r b n at i o n . c o m / l u t e n a n t se m a i l : l u t e n a n t s @ g m a i l . c o m
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soca people
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It’s a cold and rainy Saturday as I make my way to Tottenham to meet Ms. Desire, the Soca News 2012 UK Groovy Soca Monarch. Once the icon-ic Body Music store comes into view however, all thoughts of the disap-pointing weather disappear. It’s here that the young soca star, who works in the family-owned music store on weekends, greets me with a big smile. We find a quiet corner to chat.
I begin by asking her “Who is Ms. Desire?” Louise Jackman is the daughter of a Jamaican father and a Barbadian mother, who has been singing since she was about six years old and who, by the time she entered the soca arena, was already a seasoned performer; she acted, danced and sang her way through the North London Performing School and the Sylvia Young Thea-tre School, with stints on the BBC’s children’s channel. Ms. Desire smiles as she recalls her childhood and teenage years. “My brother and I were sent to Barbados every summer holiday to spend time with relatives and soak up the Bajan culture, so soca music was always something I heard - but never thought I would actually sing.” But in 2007, whilst singing at a community event in Barbados, Ms. Desire was encouraged to try soca - and so began ‘dabbling’, as she puts it. By 2008, her first single, Control It, produced by Junior Killer, was released, and a soca star was born.
“After the first single, I performed at various events both in the UK and Barbados. Then in 2011 my first al-bum, Breaking Out was released, available as an online purchase, and sold 2,500 copies.” Mind Yuh Business, one of the album’s singles, was featured in the popular animated film I Am Santana and another, Give it To Me, was included in the British Airways in-flight enter-
Ms DESIRE“Dare to Dream”
tainment package on flights to Barbados last October (and will be featured until October this year). Give it To Me, produced by Precision Productions, was also shortlisted by MTV as one of best new songs for 2013. This enterprising young woman also manages Desire and Aspire, her own entertainment company, and produces a monthly live music event at Cotton’s Rhum Jungle in central London.
Ms. Desire’s song Ready Fa Dis, produced by Peter Coppin, was the one that earned her the title of Soca News 2012 Groovy Soca Monarch, an award of which she is justifiably proud. Asked about defending the title, she says, “I’m going to Barbados for Crop Over and then shall be back in time for the Soca News 2013 UK Soca Monarch competition in August. I’ll be ready, with all the sun and energy of Barbados, to defend my title!” The eagerly anticipated sophomore album from the soca queen is entitled Dare To Dream, and will be released on 6th June. Ms. Desire’s eyes light up as she talks about future plans for the album. “I’m touring all through June, promoting the album. There are five singles, like on the first EP, and fans should listen out for a surprise collaboration with a very popular Bajan artist. I also plan to go to Trinidad while out in Barbados this summer, to work with Precision Productions and Mista Vybe.” The bubbly soca artist will go to Trinidad for the 2014 carnival season to work with Ian Pantin, who manages the soca superstars Bunji and Fay Ann.
Finally, we feel it would be remiss not to note that Ms. Desire is full of positives for Soca News. “Soca News is a great platform for established and newer artists, giving us such good publicity. It is so informative, and JC is a wonderful example of how you can create your own business once you put your mind to it. Soca News, like Body Music, is still standing, despite challenges.” And with that, Ms. Desire graciously bids me adieu and returns to serving customers with that winning smile.
WORDS. NICOLE-RACHELLE MOORE
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what is soca?The musical lyrics of great artists, such as Ras Shorty I’s Endless Vibrations and Soul of Calypso, helped to make soca music international by 1974. He experimented with Indian instruments such as the dhantal, tabla and dholak to belt out the first stream of soca music. In the beginning, like calypso, soca was used to provide social commentary and humour, but soon the more risqué business of wining and jamming took over the new sound. Many argue that the lyrics of soca are less appealing than its contemporary, calypso, but needless to say it took over the streets and is more widely played now than calypso, except in the calypso tents. In many ways, soca is to calypso what dancehall is to reggae, with the former being more about partying and the latter relating to society and its issues. Like all other music, people have experi-mented with soca over the years to produce hybrids such as ragga soca, chutney soca, rapso and even soca parang. Some of the great Trinidadian soca artists are Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin, Destra Garcia, Shadow and Super Blue, Krosfyah and Alison Hinds hail from Barbados, and Burning Flames from Antigua. Kevin Lyttle (Turn Me On), Jamesy P (Nookie), Militant (Passion), have all made songs in recent times which have ‘crossed-over’ the bounds of the traditional soca lovers to reach a broader audience, and have allowed Caribbean artists to become recog-nised as international entertainers.
destra garcia
bunji garlin
alison hinds
kevin lyttle
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Martina Lairddaughter of the islandsWORDS. MICHELLE JOHNSON
Trinidad and Tobago is very much in the soul and blood of her sons and daughters – and no less in the soul and blood of Martina Laird, the London-based actress perhaps best known for her five year stint as Com-fort Jones in the prime time hospital drama, Casualty.
Laird put in several performances at the Trinidad and Tobago Cultural Village, a five week marathon of culture, art, drama, food and music in celebration of the republic’s 50th anniversary of independence, which took place during the London Olympics. Appearing at the ‘village’ was much more than a series of profes-sional gigs for her; the performances in the rehearsed reading of Three Sisters by Mustapha Matura, the Trinidadian playwright’s adaption of Anton Chekhov’s play, and Felix Cross and Nitro’s Mass Carib, were for her a time of personal and artistic con-vergence. This was a rare but welcomed stage upon which the streams of her identity as an actress and as a Trinidadian, “Were allowed to co-exist, be celebrated and lend legitimacy to each other.” Laird’s remarkable career in the UK has been such that oppor-tunities for this convergence have been the exception. Her talent as an actor is well documented in numerous roles on British television, film and stage, the most notable TV roles having been in Shameless (Channel 4), Touch of Frost (ITV), Jonathan Creek (BBC), The Bill (ITV) and London’s Burning (C4). Her sojourns onto the big screen include Blitz, For-Get-Me Not and The Hurting.
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rENEE & MartinaAT THE 2012 t&Tculture village
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On stage, Martina has played a wide range of roles, including Bianca in Shakespeare’s Othello and, most recently, Sophia Adams, the female lead role in Errol John’s Moon on a Rainbow Shawl; the play ran at The National Theatre, Southbank for 12 weeks, to packed audiences. Laird’s portrayal of Sophia’s life in a Trinidadian tenement yard with a preoccupied husband, precocious adolescent daughter and nursing baby was heartbreakingly apposite. Add to the character’s burden her neighbours, including a sharp tongued hooker and the naïve woman next door who has lascivious males exploiting her, and Sophia finds herself the sole voice of reason in the explosive mix of personalities. On stage, Laird succeeded at doing away with every disparity between her and Sophia. But this convergence was bittersweet; the bit-terness because the process demanded that, “One draw on very personal and problematic experiences.” Despite this, Laird managed to lift the role out of its cultural situation at times, even nudging it towards a sort of transcend-ence. She brought depth and power to the portrayal, using artful gestures of the hands and body to communicate Sophia’s inner states with poignancy. The added dimensions tapped the universality of Sophia’s challenges; the character was a Trini woman, but Laird’s approach made her story organic to the hu-man experience. Laird explains this observa-tion of her technique as, “The language of the body,” saying that, “It was a reflection on her [Sophia’s] loneliness, her challenges, her desire to hold together with love, but her limitations of how to express that.” Though her portfolio is impressive, Laird’s view is that she, “Isn’t very skilled at managing the business side of her career”. It’s difficult to accept her assessment outright, particularly if one views what she’s achieved against the backdrop of being an ethnic minority female in a fiercely competitive industry. Heritage and accent have meant that she’s had to overcome the tendency to be typecast, for example. Her superb delivery of Sophia Adams was met by comments from industry folk such as, “Oh that
was the part for you. That is you!” However, the actor’s reflection is that, “She [Sophia] is a Trinidadian woman, and she’s based on a lot of women I know, but she’s not me. I’m not a mother with a child on my breast, living in extreme poverty in a yard in Trinidad and the realities of her life. So why is it me more than any other character I might have the privilege of being offered?” On the other hand, she is aware that, “Your people have expectations of the parts you should play, too.” So how does she cope with these narrow expectations? Martina Laird responds philosophically, with wise brown eyes fixed on the big picture: “We must not limit our artists ever to being one faceted. Our job as artists is to represent the whole of human experience.” It is as testament to this conviction that her career has been so varied. It follows that her ‘big picture’ encompasses much more than wise musings on the actor’s endeavour. Laird has started a company called Cascadura Productions with compatriots Indra Ové (Interview with a Vampire, The Fifth Element, Desmond’s) and Rénee Castle (The Vagina Monologues, Jesus Christ, Superstar, The Lion King, and W.E. directed by Madonna). Rather than toe the industry line, which, “Pits like against like”, Laird decided that, “We three Trini actresses [should] do something that bonds us, rather than divides us. I thought, forget that. Let’s come together, instead of fearing each other, professionally.’” So how has Laird managed to hold her own so ably in the industry? She attributes some of her successes to serendipity and to being in the right place, at the right time, with the right people. Working with Kwame Kwei-Armah in Casualty was an example of this. Their characters were, “The only black on black couple on British television at the time enjoying a relatively successful relationship.” Meeting Che Walker, the English playwright and actor at drama school, and subsequently his actress mother Anne Mitchell, of Lynda La Plante’s Widows fame, was lucky, because amongst other things it taught her early on
On stage, Laird succeeded at doing away with every disparity between her and Sophia. She brought depth and power to the portrayal, using artful gestures of
the hands and body to communicate Sophia’s inner states with poignancy.
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that the acting industry was not always a meritocracy. Thus, her resilience is bound to the understanding that her worth is not a function of her successes or failures. Laird credits her parents with being the vital anchors and support which contribute to her staying power. Not surprisingly, they didn’t initially fully embrace her choice to pursue her childhood dream of acting. Laird wonders whether they do today. Better to be a doctor or a lawyer, as far as some Trini parents are concerned. “They worry,” she says, describing her profession, “Like having a lover who is bad for you. You feel so good and so right when it’s working, and when it’s not you suddenly realise how much you’ve sacrificed for the relationship. It fills the space of friends, lovers, family, and when it’s not there, one feels bereft.” Certainly, acting
must be very demanding of the soul, and the practicalities of not working for stretches of time compound the drama of the love affair. However, the glint returns to Laird’s eye as she reminisces, “But just when you are about to give up, the lover does something nice.” What’s next for this daughter of the islands? With girlish candour she replies, “I hope, as I always do, that my lover, the profession, will treat me nicely.” Cascadura Productions is working with Mustapha Matura to stage a full production of Three Sisters, both for London and for Trinidad. Cascadura comes from the myth of the cascadura fish, which, if eaten, means you will always go back home. Hardly a surprising choice of name for someone who says she misses everything about Trinidad, and feels like crying whenever she leaves because it is all so hard to leave behind.
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Fri 3rd May
Bajan Revellers2013 BAND LAUNCH / TRIBAL FANTASY@ Caravaggio, 107 - 112 Leadenhall Street, London, EC3A 4DP. Music by: DJ Longers & Dagz, DJ Tyrone & Shep Beats. Price: £10 in adv., motd. Time: 10pm - 4am. Tel: 07956 121 510.
Sat 4th May Dragons Mas Band2013 BAND LAUNCH / NEW BEGINNINGS@ Euphoriom Night Club & Bar, 1-3 Acton High Street, London, W3 6NG. Price: £5 b4 11pm, £8 after. ID required.
Ruff Diamond Entertainment2013 BAND LAUNCH / READY FOR THE ROAD@ The Caribbean Edge, 117A Bruce Grove, London, N17 6UR. Music by: Martin Jay, DJ Shaker & DJ Matchiz. Price: £5 early bird tickets, £7adv. motd. Time: 9pm - late. Tel: 07977 494 814. 18+.
Xtreme2013 BAND LAUNCH / SEXY IN DENIM@ The West Indian Cultural Centre, 9 Clarendon Road, London, N8 0DJ. Music by: Cold Chizzle & Mr Migz. Price: £7 in adv. £10 at the door. Time: 10pm . Tel: 07506 230 513.
D.A ConnectionsBOUYON MEETS ZOUK SEWO JAM@ The Railway Tavern, 173 Forest Lane, Forest Gate, London, E7 9BB. Host: DJ Red Boy. Music by: DJ Redboy, De Crazy 1, Mr Mention & DJ Matthew. Price: £10, motd. Time: 10pm - 5am. Tel: 07932 762 595. 18+
[email protected]/djredboy
Sun 5th May Bacchanalia Mas Band2013 BAND LAUNCH / SPECIES: EVOLUTION
@ Starlight Suite, 300 Lea Bridge Road Leyton, London, E10 7LD. Live acts: Nikisha, Coco P - Story TellerChoreography from NiquelleLaTouche & The London Collectiveand more. Time: 7pm.
www.baccmas.com
BusspepperBUSSPEPPER’S 10TH ANNIVERSARY@ Tiger Tiger, 29 The Haymarket, London, SW1Y 4SP. Music by: Shep Beats, DJ Markee, Lyrical Louix & High Fidelity Less Than Zero. Price: £15 + bfee. Time: 9pm - 3am (Last entry 1am, door closed after). ID required (no entry without).
www.busspepper.com
You are strongly advised to check with the event promoter, as details sometimes change and cancellations may occur; all information was correct at the time of going to print. For more event info visit-socanews.com/events or to advertise in this section send your details to [email protected].
events
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Sun BailanteTHE HOT CARIBBEAN PARTY - WHISTLE & HORN EDITION@ O2 Academy Islington, N1 Centre16 Parkfield Street, London, N1 0PS. Music by: DJ Spice (NY), Robbo Ranx, Manny Norte, Sun Bailante, QT 2Hype & Djahman. Price: £15 adv., motd. Time: 11pm - 5am.
www.sunbailante.com
Mon 6th May Caribbean PlazaCARIBBEAN FAMILY FUN DAY (CFFD)@ North Middlesex Cricket Club, Park Road, London, N8 8JJ. Price: £3 - children (5-16 yrs), £5 - adults (over 16yrs), £12 - family ticket (2 children + 2 adults). Time: 9am - 11.30pm. Tel: 020 7183 5186
[email protected]/carib-beanfamilyfunday
Fri 10th May KalinagoRUMBLIN@ Cottons, Rhum Jungle, 70 Exmouth Market, London, EC1R 4QP. Time: 7pm - late. Tel: 020 3006 2311
www.rumblin.co
Sat 11th May Dame Du ShowROOM SERVICE@ The Gable Bar, 25 Moorgate, Lon-don, EC2R 6AR. Music by: DJ Cinde Rella (Dame Du Show), Mr Mention & Vinny Ranks. Price: £10 adv., motd. Time: 10pm - 4am. Tel: 07967 738 419. 23+.
South Connections Carnival Band2013 BAND LAUNCH/'BEM VINDO AO BRASIL'@ Protocol, 6 South Lambeth RoadVauxhall, London, SW8 1SP. Live Acts: Triniboi Joocie - UK Power Soca Monarch, Muzik Lil Muzik. Music by: Soca PhD., DJ Scooby, Diamond Star International, Triple M, Martin Jay & DJ Tate. Price: £8, £10, £12 on the door. Time: 9pm - 4am. Tel: 07967 044 492. 18+.
Sun 12th May
WORLD IN THE WEST END@ Regents Street, London.
Trinidad and Tobago will be one of the countries taking part in the street festival, where food, drink and cultural shows form part of the program on the day. For more information see the news pages. Time: 11am - 6pm.
'EXPERIENCE DESIRE - CROP OVER THE ULTIMATE EXPERI-ENCE' LAUNCH@ Cottons, Rhum Jungle70 Exmouth Market, London, EC1R 4QP. Live acts: UK Groovy Soca Monarch - Ms Desire. Music by: Supreme Blessings Sounds & Shep Beats. Host: Ms Desire. Price: £5. Time: 6pm - midnight.
Sunshine International ArtsSUNDAY SOCA @ DE ARCHES@ S.i.A Community Arts, C.A.F.EStudio 5, 209A Coldhabour Lane, London, SW9 8RU. Price: £3 mem-bers, £5 non-members. Time: 6pm - midnight. Tel: 07881 571 743.
[email protected] www.sunshineiarts.co.uk
Thu 16th MayEuphoria Carnival2013 BAND LAUNCH@ Piccadilly Institute, The London Pavillion, One Piccadilly Circus, Lon-don, W1V 9LA. Music by: DJ Markee & Shep Beats. Price: £5 adv., motd. Time: 6 - 10pm.
Sat 25th May
G&H PromotionsCARIBBEAN INDIAN ARRIVAL SHOW & DANCE@ Irish Cultural Centre, Pretoria Road, London, N17 8DX. Live acts: Featuring Terry Gajraj. Music by: Sounds Unlimited, Gem D Jammer & Big K. Price: £12 adv., £15 on the door. Time: 8pm - 1am. Tel: 020 8671 6806
Mr Marlon & GT PromotionGUYANA’S 47TH INDEPENDENCE DANCE@ Tottenham Green Leisure Centre, 1 Phillip Lane, Tottenham, London, N15 4JA. Music by: GT Promotion, Mr Marlon, Shogun & Martin Jay. Price: £10 adv., motd. Time: 9pm - 4am. Tel: 07931 157 648 / 07951 530 102.
Ruff Winers EntertainmentBEND OVER AND DON'T LOOK BACK@ Mount Strive Banqueting Suite, 92 Stoke Newington High Street, London, N16 7NY. Live acts: Live outta Barbados Big Red, Underage Winer & DeeVine. Music by: QT 2Hype, Credable, DJ Bajie, DJ Shaker & DJ Matchiz. Price: £10 early bird, £15 thereafter, motd. Time: 10pm - 3:30am (Showtime 1am). Tel: 07453 943 310. 18+, ID required.
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Sat 25th May Pure Lime2013 BAND LAUNCH / YEAR OF THE WEDDINGS@ Southern Belle, 175 - 177 Fulham Palace Road, London, W6 8QT. Music by: Martin Jay, DJ Markee & Draskal. Price: free. Time: 3pm - midnight. Tel: 07973 784 202
Mon 27th May Guyana (UK) Sports Development Association (GUSDA)GUYANA FOLK FESTIVAL@ Oasis Academy, Shirley RoadCroydon, CR9 7AL. Price: £2 children (5-12), £3 children (13-17), £8 adults, £6 senior citizens (with Freedom Pass), £2 limited on site parking. Time: 1 - 10pm. Tel: 07540 826 043 / 020 8378 5756
Cocoyea2013 BAND LAUNCH / KALEIDOSCOPE@ Flyover, Portobello3 – 5 Thorpe Close, London, W10 5XL. Music by: Martin Jay, CheInThe-MiXX & DJ Tate. Price: £5 b4 8pm, £10 after. Time: 5pm - midnight. Tel: 07956 223 247.
Sat 1st June UK Chocolate Nation2013 BAND LAUNCH / GLAMOUR@ Holiday Inn London - Bloomsbury, Coram Street, London, WC1N 1HT. Live acts: tbc. Price: £15 adv., £20 on the door. Time: 10pm - 4am. Tel: 07775 879 550.
[email protected] www.ukchocolatenation.com
Sun BailanteTHE MEGA FOAM PARTY!@ Fire Club, South Lambeth RoadVauxhall, London, SW8 1RT. Music by: Sun Bailante, QT 2Hype, DJ Tate,Mr General, Djorn & Triple M. Price: £10 early birds, £12 & £15 Regular, motd. Time: 11pm - 6am. 18+
www.sunbailante.com
Sun 2nd June Addicted Mas2013 SECTION LAUNCH / BLAZE - RELEASE THE FIRE INSIDE@ Cottons, Rhum Jungle70 Exmouth Market, London, EC1R 4QP. Price: £5 limited tickets, free to previous masqueraders. Time: 6pm - midnight. Tel: 07506 672 699. 18+.
Fri 7th June Soca Saga Boys & Island Connections in association with The Frontline Radio 2013 BAND LAUNCH / TERRA IGNIS@ The Urban Bar, 176 Whitechapel Road, London, E1 1BJ. Live acts: Scrappy. Music by: DJ Janeene, DJ Remstar, DJ Talents, DJ Flex & Ninjaman Lloyd. Price: £5 in adv., £8 on the door. Time: 9pm -3am. Tel: 07871 010 165 / 07930 508 877 www.socasagaboys.com
Sat 8th June CUKADOMINICA MEETS ST LUCIA@Heritage Inn, 301 Cricklewood Broadway, London, NW2 6PG. Music by: Manna Sound, DJ Smiley Variety, The Specialists & Lucian Vibes. Price: £10 adv., £12 on the door. Time: 9pm - late. Tel: 07956 847 297 / 07939 218 355.
Sat 22nd June Lime Connection & Shy’s BarFIRE FETE@ Tudor Rose, The GreenSouthall, Middlesex, UB2 4BG. Live acts: Brother B and Mr Killa (Gre-nada), Patrice Roberts (Trinidad), Kay Boyce (MTV), 1st Class (UK) & Trini (metro love). Music by: Trendsetter Machine, Michigan Sound System, DJ Tate & QT 2Hype.Price: £20 early bird, £25 not so early bird, £40 VIP tickets. Time: 8pm - 4am. Tel: 020 8314 0656, 07984 622 388
Sat 29th June Barbados Cultural OrganisationANNUAL CHARITY BALL@ Holiday Inn London - Bloomsbury, Coram Street, London, WC1N 1HT. Price: £55. Time: 7.15pm - 2am.
Sat 6th Jul St Lucian Association of London (1963)50TH ANNIVERSARY BLACK TIE BALL@ Selsdon Park Hotel & Golf Club , Addington Road, SandesteadSouth Croydon , CR2 8YA. Music By: Tropical Cavaliers Steelband Ensem-ble & DJ Jon JE. Price: £60. Time: 7pm - midnight. Tel: 07791 393 508 / 07450 066 134
Sun 7th Jul Barbados Cultural OrganisationCRICKET EXTRAVAGANZA@ Blagdons Cricket Club, Beverley Way, New Malden, Surrey, KT3 4PU. Price: £5 adults, £3 children, £5 park-ing. Time: 10am. Tel: 07834 883 370 / 07956 392 185.
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feature
MAY 2013 SNM 33
the photography of
fiona comptonWORDS. MICHELLE JOHNSON | IMAGE. FIONA COMPTON
Fiona Compton is a professional photographer with a passion for capturing Caribbean women on film. She had an exhibition at the St. Lucian High Commission in London on International Women’s Day in March. Compton explains the reason for her preferred subject matter by saying, “It’s because they are so diverse, colourful and interesting to look at.’”From the stunning photographs displayed, it isn’t hard to see what she means; Compton’s images reflect an earthy realness that is natural, yet glamorous.
Born and raised in St. Lucia, Fiona has lived in London for 14 years. But, she says, with a nostalgic toss of her flaming locks and a passionate gesticulation of hands, her, “Heart and soul are still in the Caribbean.” Here’s a photographer who not only adores her heritage, but the peo-ples embedded in its fabric. On the walls hang alluring examples of her craft. From glowing, coffee bean -coloured skin tones to the yellow hues of ‘regular Caribbean women’, as she describes them, her pictures portrays a unique and potent beauty.
Some faces are framed by fiery coloured flora from Fiona’s Flower Series, described as ‘women with vibrant Caribbean flowers’. A black and white image is caressed by the torn sheets of a music score. Like much great art, her approach met an accidental metamorphosis when she photographed a pregnant friend standing on a rock in the sea; Botticelli’s painting, the Birth of Venus came to mind. From there, her mission became to reinterpret classic art by taking photographs of Caribbean women that mimic the works of great masters, such as a recreation of Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, using a deli-cate shell to replace the pearl in the original. This is the thrust of Fiona’s work for 2013; keep an eye out for this rising star.
F I O N A C A N B E F O U N D AT :
3 - 11TH MAY - IMAGES OF BLACK WOMEN FESTIVAL7 - 12TH MAY - ST.LUCIA - JAZZ AND ARTS FESTIVAL (ST LUCIA)13 - 17TH MAY - DIVERSITY IN ART (CANARY WHARF)
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ROTTERDAMUNLIMITED11-16 JUNE 2013RU READY ... for ... Rotterdam Unlimited, the new festival of Rotterdam?
Rotterdam Unlimited presents... Rotterdam! Right! Everything a super diverse city like Rotterdam has to offer in the field of art and culture is present in the DNA of the new international event Rotterdam Unlimited.
Rotterdam Unlimited serves on June 11/16 2013 a cocktail with the best ingredients from this diverse city: a buzzing city full of music, theatre, poetry, dance, food and drinks.
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Soca was the most popular style of music played on the road.
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MAY 2013 SNM 37
When someone mentions 'Carnival', what kind of music and style of costume spring to mind? We can be fairly sure that Soca News readers have a distinctly Caribbean
music and mas in mind. That, though, is far from the case around the world.
The issue has been thrown into the spotlight by several new carnivals starting up around the world. Recently, Soca News has brought you news of the events in Sey-chelles, Mauritius and Zimbabwe – countries that have had no previous tradition or experience of Carnival. Without any strong cultural links to the major carnival venues – Trinidad, Brazil (Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo), USA (New Orleans) and Italy (Venice) – they had a free hand to choose the model that suited them best. The templates they have chosen for their carnivals are revealing, and perhaps a little worrying for those who believe that the world ‘knows’ that Carnival “is a Trini ting”. For its Carnaval International de Victoria, Seychelles adopted an inclusive approach and simply invited everyone who was interested to come along and bring their own music. This year there were groups representing three of the main carnival formats: soca from Trinidad in the form of Lima Calbio and costumes from Notting Hill; samba from Rosas de Ouro of São Paulo, Brazil; and two groups from Italy. Soca was the most popular style of music played on the road. Organisation of the carnival at Flic-en-Flac, Mauritius, was entrusted to a private company, Remy Vachet Productions, which decided to import its main carnival participants, principally Brazilian performance group DanceBrasil and queen of the bateria Adriana Bombom. Local opinion was divided: most enjoyed the spectacle, but a substantial number complained about the Brazilians’ ‘indecency’. The Brazilians dominated the show to the extent that local hotels put on Brazilian-themed events to complement the carnival. Zimbabwe is preparing to put on its first interna-tional carnival and has enthusiastically adopted the Brazilian model, bringing in a team of carnivalists from
São Paulo. The media releases have referred to carnival in Brazil and Mardi Gras in the USA but only fleetingly to the Caribbean and ignored soca music, calypso or steelpan. In Harare, Trinidad has been politely airbrushed from Carnival’s cultural history. In London, Notting Hill Carnival still unashamedly follows the Trinidadian model introduced by the pio-neering carnivalists in the 1960s. However, the media and visitors are often confused about the event’s ori-gins, referring to it as a Jamaican event. Jamaicans are the most dominant Caribbean group in the UK and the static sound systems that since the 1970s have been an integral, if sometimes controversial and contested, part of Notting Hill Carnival, are of Jamaican origin, so some confusion is perhaps understandable. The early appear-ance on the road of the London samba schools provide striking pictures for the professional photographers, who have already sold them to the newspapers while the Caribbean-style mas bands are still chipping along Ladbroke Grove. The impression is gained that Notting Hill’s soundtrack is reggae and samba rather than soca and steelpan. We may imagine that the separate traditions of Carnival are complementary, but in the world of the new carnivals they are competitive – and the Brazilians seem to have all the right moves when it comes to spreading their culture around. Just as calypso lost out to reggae in the global music stakes and soca is a mi-nority interest compared with other, more powerfully promoted musical genres, there is a danger that the Caribbean mas tradition will also be sidelined unless it promotes itself more vigorously.
WORDS. STEPHEN SPARK | IMAGE. CLEON HENRY
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schedule comprising over fifty performers and artists from the Caribbean, Latin America and North America. Music lovers will be wowed by famous jazz trum-peters, pianists and contemporary jazz masters, plus Caribbean maestros and Grammy award win-ners such as R Kelly. The broader artistic elements will include drama and dance, steel pan, spoken word and fashion shows.
The Saint Lucia Jazz & arts Festival 2013 WORDS. MICHELLE JOHNSON
Since its inception in 1991, the St Lucia Jazz Festival has left an indelible mark on the world’s music calendar. Annually, the festival releases its call and a world of music lovers answer. Now, after 22 years, the festival has undergone a reinvention – one soon to be uncovered in its 2013 offering. Renamed the Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival, this year’s event promises to be a senses-dazzling eruption of art, entertainment and culture.
“As we seek to implement our new strategic focus, it became necessary to forge closer linkages between the traditional festival line-up and a now burgeoning creative industries sector,” said Tourism Minister Lorne Theophilus. But jazz purists should not baulk, music aficionados, you may exhale: Louis Lewis, Director of Tourism, promises that, “While cer-tain aspects of the festival needed to be redefined, its over two decades history of attracting some of the most recognisable and sought after names in the music business remains intact.”
So what will this new configuration offer pilgrims this year? As well as a stunning range of settings, which include charming villages, tranquil waterfronts and the alluring backdrop of the Pigeon Island National Landmark, 2013 will see the return of the popular ‘Jazz on the Square’, embedded in the heart of the capital city Castries, plus shows at the pic-turesque open-air venue of Balenbouche Estate. Starting on April 30th, these exciting venues will play host to an impressive, star-studded
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The stretch of Portobello Road between Cambridge Gar-dens and Golborne Road has for some time been the site of the Portobello Road Arts Project. The north wall of the street shows commissioned work, and has been used as a way to promote local artists and to encourage visitors to continue north from the more famous market to discover the very vibrant Golborne Road Market. Whether it fulfills that function is hard to tell, but it certainly adds interest and energy to a stroll up the road and, as with most public art, adds to the richness of the area.
CARNIVAL ART
ARTISTS. FIONA HAWTHORNEWWW.FIONAHAWTHORNE.COM
WORDS. KATIE SEGAL | IMAGE. FIONA HAWTHORNE
MAY 2013 SNM 41
Now, appropriately since it’s in the heart of the carnival area, the wall will hold an exhibition entitled Aspects of Carnival, by Fiona Hawthorne. The murals are a medley of colour and characters, ultimately a celebration of the power, joy and force of Europe's largest street festival. Hawthorne is originally from Northern Ireland and was raised in Hong Kong, but has been a local artist for 30 years. She has had a long history of involvement in street art, being featured in Thames and Hudson’s book Design After Dark; there is now a portrait of Barack Obama by Hawthorne hanging in the Library of Congress.
The thirteen panels will remain in place for six months, including during Notting Hill Carnival it-self. The exhibition was launched at the Tabernacle, Carnival Village on May 1st, where the work was
unveiled by Colin Salmon, who himself was first painted by Hawthorne when he was a busker on Portobello Road – a little while ago, methinks!
Fiona and Colin are now husband and wife, and for fifteen years have been involved in the Fox Carnival band, with Fiona as art director. Also a steel pan en-thusiast, Fiona initiated, designed and participated in 'One Thousand Pans', which performed at Jubilee Gardens on the closing weekend of the London Olympic Games.
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is keen to receive feedback on the installation and the Portobello Road North Wall project as a whole. You can tell them what you think by emailing [email protected].
COPYRIGHT©FIONA HAWTHORNE 2013
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ABIR THE COLOURS OF LIFEABIR 300.. IS PAINT & POWDER 020 3006 [email protected]
ADDICTED MASBLAZE - RELEASE THE FIRE INSIDE [email protected]/carnival.php
BACCHANALIA MASBANDSPECIES: EVOLUTION07909 616 [email protected]
BAJAN REVELLERSTRIBAL [email protected]
EUPHORIA [email protected]
FLAGZ MAS BAND4 NATURAL ELEMENTS07956 815 [email protected]
FLAMBOYAN INTERNA-TIONAL CARNIVAL ARTSWHEN GALAXIES COLLIDE07986 761 [email protected]
FUNATIK MASINITIUM NOVUM - A NEW BEGINNINGwww.funatikmas.com
GENESIS CARNIVAL [email protected]
mas bandsSo it’s that that time again, when bands have been a-launching and aresetting up their stalls for market. Their details are listed below. You can find up-to-date information at socanews.com/masbands/uk
BURROKEETS UKWHEN.... 07888 671 [email protected]
CLEMENT JAMES CARNIVAL BANDREGGAE ROOTS CIRCUS020 7221 [email protected]
COCOYEAKALEIDOSCOPE07956 223 [email protected]
DRAGONS SPORTING AND CULTURAL CLUBNEW BEGINNINGS07801 678 230 [email protected]
F O R M O R E M AS B A N D S G O T O S O C A N E WS . C O M / M AS B A N D S
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GLORIOUS BACKSTAGE ARTS07746 693 [email protected]://gba-carnival.com
ISIS MASCOUTURE...WEE PA PA07535 476 [email protected]/index.html
LAGNIAPPE MASCARIBBEAN [email protected]
LONDON SCHOOL OF SAMBAEL DORADO: CHILDREN OF THE SUN 020 7394 [email protected]
MASQUERADE 2000 (M2K)ATLANTIS. THE LOST PARA-DISE 07956 880 [email protected]
PURE LIMEYEAR OF THE WEDDINGS 07973 784 [email protected]
SOUTH CONNECTIONSBEM VINDO AO BRASIL! 07446 698 [email protected]
TEARSAMAZON
TRINI POSSE UKDEJA VU “THE JOURNEY CONTINUES - IN CELEBRA-TION OF LIFE” 07800 573 [email protected]
U.C.O.M. - UNITED COLOURS OF MASTHE ESSENCE OF.... 07958 362 [email protected]
UK CHOCOLATE NATIONGLAMOUR 07775 879 [email protected]
VYBZ MAS BANDTHE LOST CITY OF ATLANTIS 07949 145 [email protected]
XTREME ST LUCIA UKSEXY IN DENIM07957 903 [email protected]
MAS BAND SUBMISSIONIf you are not currently listed here or your details appear incorrect or you have additional information you would like to send us then get in touch - [email protected]
ENTRIES ARE NOW OPEN FOR THE 2013 UK SOCA MONARCH COMPETITIONREGISTER AT UKSOCAMONARCH.COM
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Wish You Were Here?
If you have been following the subject, as published by us and other interested bodies in the last few years, then the acronym APD will be all too familiar. If you don’t fall into that category, it just as well be an All Partying Done or All de People Dem - but we’re talking about Air Passenger Duty.
Airport Passenger Duty
WORDS. KATIE SEGAL
travel
MAY 2013 SNM 45
a.p.dWORDS. KATIE SEGAL
If you have been following the subject, as pub-lished by us and other interested media bodies in the last few years, then the acronym APD will be all too familiar. If you don’t fall into that category, it just as well be an All Partying Done or All de People Dem - but we’re talking about Air Passenger Duty.
This tax was introduced by the British govern-ment in 1994, when it would have added £5 to a domestic or European flight, and £10 (in economy classes) to the price of a flight elsewhere, including to visit your loved ones in the Caribbean; now, an extra £83 is added to your ticket. Many in the travel and tourism sector find this tax, which is based on the distance flown, to be far too high to not have a detrimental effect on the industry.
For the Caribbean region, there’s an extra complica-tion, which creates more room for disappointment:
Wish You Were Here?This tax was introduced by the British govern-ment in 1994, when it would have added £5 to a domestic or European flight, and £10 (in economy classes) to the price of a flight elsewhere, including to visit your loved ones in the Caribbean; now, an extra £83 is added to your ticket. Many in the travel and tourism sector find this tax, which is based on the distance flown, to be far too high to not have a detrimental effect on the industry.
For the Caribbean region, there’s an extra complica-tion, which creates more room for disappointment: as the distance flown is measured to a capital city, in a large country like the USA one may fly far further than Washington DC – further, in fact, than to the Caribbean – and only pay the tax relevant for the distance to that capital. Thus, the APD added to your ticket to fly to California will be the same as that to fly to Antigua, despite a far longer distance travelled. And this tax is scheduled to be increased again, in April next year.
Clearly, there are many sectors which are against this exorbitant tax. If you work in the tourism industry, you are probably very well informed and already campaigning. Anyone who has family abroad, especially further afield then mainland Eu-
rope, should also be on that bandwagon, because this probably affects how often you can visit your loved ones – or they, you. And, of course, it has an immpact on everyone who wants to fly to a holiday destination as well, but the general public as a whole are not informed on the subject.
There have been protests from the Caribbean sector, including from tourism boards and govern-ments, and it was thought that the pressure from those might be sufficient. Since it hasn’t worked so far, there are now calls to step up the movement, part of which would involve informing more people about the issue. And a suggestion from Graham McKenzie, managing director of TravelMole, a leading global online community for the travel and tourism industry, is to involve high profile popular figures, including musicians and athletes. He ima-gines Usain Bolt wearing an anti-APD t-shirt at the upcoming Anniversary Games. Imagine….
For more information, please see ABTA’s webpage http://www.abta.com/news-and-views/policy-zone/more/air-passenger-duty, and also the protest site to which they ascribe, http://www.afairtaxon-flying.org/
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st lucian association of london (1963) celebrates 50th anniversary london, uk
The St Lucian Association of London was founded in 1963 to provide a forum to enable St Lucians, who were then new to the city, to come together to support each other as they accustomed themselves to living away from home. The association encour-aged members to pursue suitable full or part-time courses of study, and to foster consciousness of the advantages of, and need for, education and academic attainment, cultural enrichment, vocational and professional training and qualifications. Over the past 50 years, they have raised funds not only for St Lucians in London who needed help, but also for numerous worthy causes in Saint Lucia and in response to many disasters and hurricanes. And 50 years on, they are still providing these valuable services, which are, indeed, as much needed today as they were in 1963. Today the St Lucian Association exists, amongst other things, to provide a social, cultural, and moral link for all St Lucians living in the United Kingdom. It provides information to St Lucians in this country on matters pertinent to their interests both here and in Saint Lucia, without political bias. They establish and encourage activities that enrich the character of their
members, and enhance their contribution to society, and take pride in the achievements of members and their children, with their diverse contributions to society here in Britain. There is a planned year of events for both the young and old. Please contact the St Lucian Association on facebook, by email to [email protected] or by telephone on 020 7263 0337.
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