Caption: Kamla Persad-Bissessar celebrates Jouvert in Barrackpore on Monday with Minister of Culture Michelle Benjamin
Summary
- PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar rejected claims that Helon Francis’ Dimanche Gras broadcast audio drop was intentional, citing TTT’s technical explanation.
- She said calypso does not need censoring and criticised what she called divisive political messaging in the genre, pointing to weak calypso tent attendance.
- Persad-Bissessar praised and congratulated 2026 Calypso Queen Terri Lyons, urging the public to celebrate the win instead of “conspiracies.”
PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has dismissed claims that the audio loss during calypsonian Helon Francis’ Dimanche Gras performance was deliberate, saying the State broadcaster has already attributed the incident to a technical problem.
In a statement issued yesterday, Persad-Bissessar said she became aware of the issue yesterday morning and noted that State-owned Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT) had released an explanation indicating a technical fault affected the broadcast during Francis’ performance at Sunday’s Dimanche Gras calypso competition.
“Sorry to break this news to my loving and dedicated haters but no one has to censor calypso because over the years, political stooges masquerading as calypsonians censored calypso themselves by alienating the majority of the population with their hateful diatribes,” Persad-Bissessar said.
She contrasted the popularity of Carnival party events with declining attendance at calypso tents, saying soca fetes attracted thousands nightly from January to Carnival Tuesday, “but a calypso tent can’t even sell 100 tickets on its best night.”
Persad-Bissessar argued that many citizens have “moved on from that type of divisiveness and negativity,” adding that audiences “just want to enjoy themselves and be happy.”
The Prime Minister also used the statement to congratulate Terri Lyons, who captured the “Calypso Queen” title, and praised performers she said were helping to strengthen the art form. Persad-Bissessar said Lyons and Yung Bredda were “saving the calypso art form” by producing music grounded in “social consciousness and reality.”
“Terri Lyons showed how great calypso could be last night. Congratulations Terri, our beautiful 2026 Calypso Queen. Her song was emotional, real, inspiring and unifying,” Persad-Bissessar said.
She urged the public to focus on Lyons’ win rather than what she described as conspiracy-driven political narratives. “People should celebrate her victory instead of chasing wild conspiracies to push political agendas,” she said.
Persad-Bissessar celebrated Jouvert in Barrackpore on Monday with Minister of Culture Michelle Benjamin and Naparima MP Narindra Roopnarine.
