Things just got interesting. “Power is back”- the words of 38-year-old Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez, in the wake of news that she’d been appointed to head the International Soca Monarch Competition. Her new portfolio will afford her the opportunity to make strategic changes, to better the show, as seen fit.

The announcement, made by National Carnival Commission Chairman, Winston ‘Gypsy’ Peters, Lyons-Alvarez’s uncle, has since gone viral. Peters has also disclosed that while finances to be allocated to the competition, have not yet been decided, the event’s semi finals will return to the Arima Velodrome, while the finals will take place at the Queen’s Park Savannah.

Lyons-Alvarez last took part in the competition in 2011. To this day, she remains the only female to have ever won the Power leg of the competition. Both she and her husband, Bunji Garlin, removed themselves from the competition, citing unfavorable contractual stipulations in the ISM contract at the time.

Blaxx Praises ViQueen’s Appointment

In an immediate response on the appointment, fellow soca artiste, Dexter ‘Blaxx’ Stewart said a better person could not have been chosen for the post. “Personally I had no intentions of going back into the Soca Monarch but, I think having senior artistes in the competition is very beneficial to the culture. I will say this, I will be entering this year! Just the mere fact that Fay Ann is running it, I can vouch, she is one of the most astute, straight up persons in this business,” said Blaxx. He said while many criticized her, he felt that Fay Ann would do the best job at handling the competition.

“She is a no grin, no smile person. I don’t care how the other artists feel but brother, what a choice! That girl will be one hell of an administrator. I am one of the oldest artistes in the industry and I will say this : they could not have made a better choice.”- Blaxx

Separately, Blaxx said he was certain that Gypsy too, would do a great job at the helm of the NCC. He spoke of Grenada’s Soca Monarch competition, saying that the Spice Isle has made their competition a part of the island’s tourism product and it has been tremendously successful. “A lot of our things that we have taken for granted, they have made it amazing,” he said.

Patrice Roberts, Swappi, Give The Thumbs Up to Fay Ann’s Appointment.

Meanwhile, fellow female soca heavyweight, Patrice Roberts in a quick chat with EBUZZTT while working out at the gym, said she was happy to see a female now standing at the helm of such a major carnival competition.

“I think she has what it takes to take Soca Monarch where it could possibly be. She has been in the industry and in Soca monarch for a while and I am honestly happy for her and even more happy to see a female being the chairman of the ISM.” – Patrice Roberts. 

Patrice, who has unleashed a slew of hits for Carnival 2019, said she could not confirm whether she would be taking part in the competition. She said her head had not been on that, when we spoke with her.

Likewise, Swappi, who has been having a pretty incredible pre-carnival 2019 season, said he is very happy and confident that Fay Ann Lyons will do a great job. ” There is no ifs, ands or maybes. I know she will do a great job. She always strikes gold at everything she does. She is a warrior. She has a warrior’s spirit in her. I can afford to say Power Soca is back and the whole energy of the competition is back!” He said he is still unsure as to whether he would re-enter, having been emotionally affected by previous years of inclusion in the competition.

Source: www.ebuzztt.com