Marcus McDonald, the winner of this year’s Junior Calypso Monarch competition, along with Josiah Jordan, the third place winner, have both been disqualified from the competition.
In a press release issued today, the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians’ Organization (TUCO) said the two finalists were disqualified for breaches of Rule 3:4.
McDonald, a student of Presentation College, San Fernando, won the competition singing “Don’t Spoil Them”.
TUCO said it was informed by the Chair of the TUCO Junior Calypso Committee, Thora Best that she had received several complaints of breaches of the 2023 Junior Calypso Monarch Competition, Rule 3.4.
Rule 3.4 says, “Each contestant will be required to sing one calypso. All calypsoes must comprise no less than three verses minimum and four verses maximum. The calypso must not have been rendered in any competition before Ash Wednesday, 2022.”
“In light of this, the Junior Calypso Committee investigated and verified the complaints, that there were indeed breaches of Rule 3.4. These findings were brought to the attention of TUCO’s General Council, and at their Friday, March 3, 2023 a decision was taken to rescind the February 13 results to reflect the disqualification of the two finalists in breach of the rule,” TUCO said.
TUCO said in keeping with exercising fairness, transparency and accountability, to all, Best subsequently informed the parents of both finalists of the Committee’s decision.
St Francois Girls’ College’s A’Janae King Fraser was declared the winner.
The revised results are as follows:
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