Newsday Tobago ( Trinidad and Tobago )
16 February 2023 ( Page 10 )
Pres boy reigns, Bishop's student 4th
Junior Calypso Monarch 2023: Mat IN Naomi Waldrop of Signal Hill Secondary School sings her song Hero vs Villain. Marcus Mc Donald of Presentation College, San Fernando, centre, celebrates with his friends after placing first in the Junior Calypso Monarch competition on Monday at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain. PHOTOS BY AYANNA KINSALE aS Bishop's Koquice Davidson sings Rally Around the Children. PAULA UNDO THE winner of the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO)/FCB Junior Calypso Monarch is 14yearold Marcus McDonald of Presentation College, San Fernando. His song, Don't Spoil Them, topped the other 15 competitors on Monday to win the prize at the Queen's Park Savannah in Port of Spain. Performing in 11th place, McDonald called on parents not to spoil their children by neglecting or overindulging them. He urged them to set good examples for their children "You ent sharing, you ent caring, you don't have the time to spare, you follow the ways of the world. "You ent guiding, you ent loving, you ent giving or forgiving, how you want the kids' life unfold? If you want the best for your children, don't spoil them," he sang. McDonald said he'd spent the last two years working on the song with the help of his grandfather, Victor McDonald, and his mother Kerry Ann. His grandfather, also known as Mr Mac, performs in the Kaiso Showcase in San Fernando. McDonald said his inspiration for the song came from an event he witnessed on Father's Day. "There was a boy who wanted a soft drink from a vending machine and his father said `no: because he had a meeting to go to. The boy threw a terrible tantrum. He was kicking and screaming on the floor and the father decided to buy it for him, and the child went back to normal. That really struck me as something that would bring our children to a bad place." He said he was not spoiled as a child as he felt what he received came through his work or with the assistance of his family. "My advice for youths is always work for what you need, always work for what you want, never stop believing. You need to be that one person who could exceed boundaries and be something great, don't ever be mediocre, always try to be that guy." McDonald said he could see himself gracing a Dimanche Gras in the future, as performing is something he loves. His father Rickson McDonald said his son was also a footballer and a guitarist. A'Janae King Fraser of St Francois Girls' College took second place with her song, A Visionary, which was a tribute to recently deceased calypso icon Leroy "Black Stalin" Calliste. She called on the powers that be to put Stalin's work on the school curriculum and said she hopes calypso would be used as a tool in school. Third place went to Josiah Jordan from Mory ant/ Laventille Secondary School, with The Mask We Don't See. In his presong performance, he emphasised the health protocols which were put into place, but noted there were many people who were wearing invisible masks, like priests who are child molesters, conmen, cult leaders like Jim Jones, and human traffickers like Jeffrey Epstein. Fourth was Koquice Davidson from Bishop's High School, who called on people to rally around the children to stop them from being abused and killed, citing the deaths of Sean Luke, Akiel Chambers, and others. "Children want justice too, for all we go through in this life. Rally around the children, lets save and protect them, our future generation, lewwe work hand in hand to restore trust in this land." In tenth place was Clorysa Gill from Signal Hill Secondary. In her song Advice To The Youth, she called on young people to rise up against the negative stigma with which they are perceived. "As a chosen generation, we must lead the nation, let's celebrate all youth today, who make it one day." Signal Hill Secondary's Naomi Waldrop's song Hero vs Villain netted her 14th place. She offered youth alternatives to their criminal choices, and urged adults to give them positive opportunities. "If you've been running from the police, you might excel at sports. Since you know every part of TT, become a tour guide and show tourists where to go. There are so many constructive ways to put your talents to use, if you don't make better choices, your life you will surely lose." The song which placed 16th was We Will Lead The Assembly. D'Ashe Saul from Parlatuvier Anglican Primary called on the THA Chief Secretary to let children run the Assembly, as they would be punctual, do what they were told, and listen when they were spoken to. RESULTS: 1) Marcus McDonald, Presentation College, San Fernando, 2) A'Janae King Fraser, St Francois Girls' College 3) Josiah Jordan, Morvant/L'tille Secondary 4) Koquice Davidson, Bishop's High School, Tobago 5) Zachary Ransome, Montrose Government Primary 6) Kai Anthony Salazar, St Benedict's College 7) Jimecya Burnett, Cedros Secondary 8) Kerlise Bentham, The UTT 9) Alaeja Gould Ferguson, St Francois Girls' College 10) Clorysa Gill, Signal Hill Secondary, Tobago 11) N'Janela Duncan Regis, Athens School of Education Ltd 12) Breshawn Springer, Queen's Royal College 13) Tsaiann Burke, Holy Faith Convent, Couva 14) Naomi Waldrop, Signal Hill Secondary, Tobago 15) Kerston Millar, The UWI.