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The first Calypso Fiesta, held under the patronage of Culture and Community Development Minister Michelle Benjamin, who was celebrating her birthday, took place yesterday at Skinner Park, San Fernando.

The competition started strongly around 2 pm with Tobago’s Nicole Thomas-Clarke singing Sacrifice and ended much the same under the night sky with Terri Lyons, 2020 Calypso Monarch and reigning Queens of Queens champion from Montserrat, performing Blessings.

Like semifinals of the past, this year’s Calypso Fiesta featured topics such as crime, domestic violence, nation building and current affairs, with a sprinkle of biting commentary. Standout performances included former Calypso Monarchs Chuck Gordon - 2014 And 2015 - (Roderick Gordon) with Tory Time, The Calypso Princess- 2011- ( Karene Asche with Nobody Wins Until, and Devon Seale (2016) with A Little Power. Toilet paper — the Skinner Park posse’s equivalent of the gong in a gong show — was surprisingly scarce, perhaps a sign of the rising cost of grocery items.