Meindad ‘Ratchie’ Raggie’s sudden, violent and untimely end last Saturday, apparently by the guns of thieves in the night, sent me on a search of my meagre and disorganised personal ‘calypso archive’ for whatever information was available on his calypso career. Ratchie’s murder is as shocking as that of any other young, talented person, but it confirms that the scant regard for life by a ruthless generation of deviants puts everybody else’s life at risk something as routine as minding your own business; going to work; or as in Ratchie’s case, going home from a hard day’s work.

I did an unforgettable interview with him (‘Age Of Maturity’; Mirror 6/20/2008), with TOT Executive Cecil Charles by his side, during the 2008 calypso season, when he appeared confident enough to see the senior, calypsonians as equals.

Another meeting is scheduled for tomorrow and one can only hope that at the end of it the St. Lucia Calypsonians Association (2009) will produce a more convincing press release about progress made in trying to get the new body “up and running” by the end of jazz.

It’s been a long, bumpy journey of squabbling tent executives, but a ‘group of 21’ appear confident that a strong, national organisation will emerge this weekend to lead calypsonians into Carnival 2010 and beyond.

What started as an impressive mass meeting of calypsonians and interested parties to re-organise the defunct St. Lucia Calypsonians Association (formed in 1975), dwindled to 21 people on December 12, last year. But the process continued nonetheless, and the 21 attendees emerged as the foundering members of St. Lucia Calypsonians Association 2009 (SLAC 2009).

Happy New Year and All the Best for 2010

We've been receiving a steady stream of requests for the date of Lucian Carnival 2010. We hear you and have been in touch with officials at the Cultural Development Foundation who are actively working to come with the best summer festival for the year. We're still waiting on the official announcement; however our in-house experts have come up with this calendar based on historical trends.

Launching - Sunday May 30, 2010

Groovy Soca Monarch - Saturday, July 3, 2010

Soca Monarch Finals - Saturday July 10, 2010

Square Jam - Monday July 12 - Friday July 16, 2010

Intercommercial House Competition - Thursday July 15, 2010

Panorama - Friday July 16, 2010

Kaiso Finals - Saturday July 17, 2010

King and Queen of the Bands - Sunday July 18, 2010

Parade of the Bands (Jump Up) - Monday July 19 and Tuesday July 20, 2010

Thank you for your continued support and interest. Here's looking forward to seeing you here for the 1st Lucian Carnival of the new decade.

* Dates, Venues, Times and Events are subject to changes.

What do you do when you’re ready for parade of the bands and the rain doesn’t stop? You just jump of course; and keep jumping.

There was no other option for hundreds of revellers on carnival Monday who made the best of mas in the rain, while hoping for the crucial announcement that would make carnival Tuesday a better bet.

The downpours were not enough to stop determined revellers who stuck to the long route up to the 6p.m. mandated end of revellery, although it was rain, rain and more rain almost from the jump-off of the main action for Carnival 2K9 “Nothing Sweeter Dan Dat”.