By Makeida Antonio
A major entertainment stakeholder has announced that he will not be operating during thisyear’s Carnival celebrations.
Golden Eye Calypso Review has been in operation for 21 unbroken years before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
However, Managing Director of Golden Eye Calypso Review, Dave Lester Payne, revealed that due to circumstances beyond his control, the tent will not be able to participate in the 2022 Carnival celebrations.
“There’s a lot of things going on that I’m not satisfied or pleased with, as far as the preparation for a calypso tent, thus my decision not to go through with a calypso tent for 2022. We do hope that the general public will understand, and hopefully in 2023, we will come again,” Payne told Observer yesterday.
Payne expressed his sincerest apologies to all calypsonians and patrons for being unable to put on shows this year, as many artistes have traditionally promoted their calypsos at the venue, prior to the finals at the Antigua Recreation Grounds.
“At this point in time, I would like to apologise to all the calypsonians who would normally sing with Golden Eye Calypso Review. The same calypsonians who sing with Golden Eye Calypso Review would understand that if the proper things are not in place to accommodate them, I can’t have a tent, and at the end of the day, I am blamed if they don’t go through.”
Nonetheless, Payne suggested that the calypsonians use other tents which would be open to hosting them.
Additionally, he proposed that the government consider running its own tent this time around.
Antigua’s Carnival has been scheduled for July 27 to August 2.