It’s Carnival season here in Saint Lucia – a celebration of our culture in all its vibrant facets. From the infectious rhythms of the steel pan to the dazzling artistry of the King and Queen of the Bands costumes, from the elegance of the Carnival Queen pageants to the sharp storytelling of calypso, from the groovy and power soca songs that set fetes ablaze to the raw energy of J’ouvert morning and the street theatre of Carnival Monday and Tuesday. This is a time when our nation comes alive.
The season thrives on competition. These events fuel endless debates on the streets, across social media, and on radio talk shows. They’ve also given rise to the saying, “What is Carnival without controversy?”, because, inevitably, the selection of competitors and the final results are often met with uproar—or bacchanal, as some would say.
Carnival controversy is a perennial topic. Every year, Joe and Jane Public dissect the competitions at every street corner, bar and supermarket, offering their own verdicts on who should have won and where the judges went wrong. Some opinions are passionate, even fanatical. Yet for many, these heated discussions are part of what makes Carnival so engaging; not just the music and spectacle, but the lively debates that follow.
This year’s competitions – the Groovy and Power Soca Monarch, the National Carnival Queen Pageant, the King and Queen of the Bands, Panorama, and the Calypso Finals – are already sparking excitement. The song contests, given their mass appeal, always draw the fiercest debates over winners and losers. Close behind is the Carnival Queen pageant, where contestants are often pre-judged based on public appearances long before the final night.
Many self-appointed critics voice their opinions based on personal biases, sometimes deciding who should win before the event even begins. That said, over the years, some have offered thoughtful assessments, explaining why their picks differ from the judges.
Social media has added a new dimension to these debates with instant reactions, sometimes mid-performance, with discussions stretching for hours or even days after the events.
While we’ll offer suggestions to minimise dissent over the age-old adage “the judges’ decision is final”, we doubt controversy will ever fully leave Carnival. Still, credit must be given to organisers, who have largely managed these competitions well, ensuring a degree of transparency.
This week, we’ve seen the selection of semifinalists for the Groovy and Power Soca Monarch competitions, while the Calypso Quarterfinals conclude this weekend. These contests are central to Lucian Carnival, and if the hard work of our artists is to be judged and rewarded fairly, transparency and public understanding must remain priorities.
How can we improve? Organisers should widely publicise competition rules and judging criteria, even hosting public forums or media discussions. Public and participant feedback should be welcomed to refine these guidelines.
Judges’ names should be announced in advance. Contestants should have the right to raise objections, with justifiable reasons, if they believe a judge is unsuitable. Organisers must be prepared to review such concerns and maintain a pool of alternates.
Performers must study the criteria thoroughly, ensuring they and their teams understand every aspect of the competition. They should also have the opportunity to seek clarification where needed.
Armchair critics should also familiarise themselves with the judging criteria before declaring a result “unfair”.
Judging art is not an exact science as there will always be room for human error and disagreement. But we must never let debate devolve into name-calling, branding judges as “tiefs” or hurling insults at winners. That is not the spirit of Carnival.
These competitions are dynamic, healthy and vital to the Carnival’s pulse. Let’s work to improve them through constructive suggestions, not slander; solutions, not insults.
So let the revelry begin! May the best contestants win, as we celebrate their victory and the enduring culture that has weathered both time and controversy.
