PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Feb 20, CMC – Six former calypso monarchs are included in 15 finalists named for the Dimanche Gras finals following the semi-finals held at the Skinner Park in Arima, east of here over the weekend.

The finals will be held at the Queen’s Park Savannah in the capital on Sunday.

According to the line-up, the six former monarchs are Winston “Cro Cro” Rawling, former culture minister, Winton ’Gypsy’ Peters, Dr. Hollis Liverpool (Chalkdust), Kurt Allen, Karene Asche and Chucky.

Allen’s tune “Forking Up Meh Corn Tree” is a double-entendre political ­commentary, while Chalkdust’s tune “Learn From Arithmetic” addressed the issue of child marriage.
Cro Cro in his tune, “Final Send-Off,” paid tribute to the late former prime minister Patrick Manning who died last year.

The other finalists are Queen Victoria, Terri Lyons, Sasha Ann Moses, Rondell Donowa, Miguella Simon , Lady Adanna, Fya Empress, Heather McIntosh and All Rounder.

Unlike previous years, when the Monarch received a first prize of one million TT dollars (One TT dollar =US$0.16 cents) the prizes this year have been cut by at least 50 per cent and singers willnot have to perform one song rather than two songs as in the past.