National Schools Chutney Soca Monarch Award Ceremony: Chutney Music

Schools’ Chutney Soca Monarch: A demonstration that T&T’s culture is alive
Support will be given by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts to keep alive Trinidad and Tobago’s various art forms.
This assurance was given to students, parents, sponsors and the organisers of the 2020 Schools’ Intellectual National Carnival Chutney Soca Monarch competition during a prize-giving ceremony attended by the Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts Senator the Honourable Randall Mitchell earlier today.
Minister Mitchell thanked the organizers of the event, the National Chutney Foundation of Trinidad and Tobago, teachers, and parents in particular, for investing their time and resources into the competition and “for continuing to contribute to the culture of Trinidad and Tobago.”
“Let no one say that the culture of Trinidad and Tobago is dying…continue to grow,” he encouraged the students.
The Schools’ Intellectual National Carnival Soca Monarch competition began in 2012 in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts and other corporate sponsors. Each year, students compete in two categories: primary and secondary, and must ensure that their songs have good lyrical content which is positive, developmental and knowledgeable.
Chairman of the competition Dr Vijay Ramlal-Rai said there is consideration to host next year’s event virtually in keeping with the new normal imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister Mitchell said he looks forward to the innovations the organiser’s implements for the competition.
Curriculum Coordinator for Visual and Performing Arts at the Ministry of Education Marceline Peters also offered the Ministry of Education’s support for the competition and told the students that it is a demonstration of what living Trinidad and Tobago’s culture entails.
The prize-giving ceremony was held at the VIP Lounge of the National Carnival Commission (NCC).