Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08PORTOFSPAIN71
2008-02-08 16:18:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Port Of Spain
Cable title:  

SIXTH ANNUAL SONG AND VERSE CONTEST FOCUSES ON DISASTER

Tags:  EAID SCUL SENV KCIP KPAO TD 
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VZCZCXRO3472
PP RUEHGR
DE RUEHSP #0071/01 0391618
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 081618Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8971
INFO RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 3748
RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEHSJ/AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE 0491
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT OF SPAIN 000071 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR, WHA/PD
STATE PASS USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA
SAN JOSE FOR USAID/OFDA REGIONAL OFFICE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID SCUL SENV KCIP KPAO TD
SUBJECT: SIXTH ANNUAL SONG AND VERSE CONTEST FOCUSES ON DISASTER
PREPAREDNESS

REF: (A) 04 POS 339; (B) 05 POS 210; (C) 07 POS 320

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT OF SPAIN 000071

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR, WHA/PD
STATE PASS USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA
SAN JOSE FOR USAID/OFDA REGIONAL OFFICE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID SCUL SENV KCIP KPAO TD
SUBJECT: SIXTH ANNUAL SONG AND VERSE CONTEST FOCUSES ON DISASTER
PREPAREDNESS

REF: (A) 04 POS 339; (B) 05 POS 210; (C) 07 POS 320


1. (U) SUMMARY: Trinidad and Tobago's Ministry of Education and
Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) joined forces
with Post to co-sponsor the sixth annual "Ambassador's Song and
Verse Contest." Spotlighting ODPM's public awareness campaign
("Disaster Preparedness Begins with You. Get Ready - Better be Ready
than Sorry!"),this year's event attracted hundreds of spectators
and dozens of student contestants performing original works in
indigenous musical styles (calypso, rap, soca, chutney, etc.) or
verse (choral speaking, monologues, etc.) to educate their peers,
teachers, and parents about disaster preparedness. The success of
this year's Song and Verse Contest gave significant visibility to
U.S. support for disaster preparedness in the Caribbean Region. End
summary.


2. (U) Every year since 2003, Post has worked with the GOTT Ministry
of Education (MOE) to organize the Ambassador's Song and Verse
Contest among students in an effort to raise awareness of social
dislocations. Past themes have included HIV/AIDS awareness, crime
and drug demand reduction (refs A and B) as well as intellectual
property rights (ref C). Students first compete in one of eight
school district competitions and then at the National Final, during
which the eight district winners vie for a TT$5,000 (around US$800)
grand prize.


3. (U) During the week of January 21, Embassy Officers and Locally
Employed Staff fanned out across Trinidad and Tobago to attend the
eight district competitions and deliver brief remarks about the
importance of disaster preparedness. It was the primary and
secondary school students, however, who delivered the critical
message to large groups of students and teachers, identifying the
steps necessary to prepare for a natural or human-made disaster and
encouraging their peers to develop a plan of action in case of
emergency. Students also highlighted the importance of unclogging
drains and throwing trash in its proper place to mitigate the impact

of seasonal flooding, a perennial problem in T&T. With as many as
22 performances at any one District Contest, competition was fierce.



4. (U) Eight finalists, one from each district, were chosen to
advance to the National Final which was held at the Queen's Park
Savannah on January 29 before an audience including Minister of
Education Esther Le Gendre, ODPM CEO Paul Saunders, diplomats,
dignitaries, and hundreds of school children from around the
country. Finalists from T&T sang, performed skits and calypsos and
were treated to performances by soca star Maximus Dan and dance
troupe Eklectic. Emcee and local comedienne Nikki Crosby, hosting
for the sixth consecutive year, generated significant enthusiasm
from the students in the audience while reinforcing the key message
about disaster preparedness.


5. (U) Although the local celebrities were entertaining, the
students' original performances took center stage at the National
Final. Artistic, education, and disaster preparedness experts
judged the finalists on content, presentation, and creativity. The
top prize was awarded to a group from the Caroni District, whose
chorale speaking performance of "The Alphabet of Disaster
Preparedness" captivated the attention of the judges and audience
members alike. The verse spelled out, letter by letter, 26 critical
steps to disaster preparedness. Other noteworthy performances
included a fortune teller whose crystal ball predicted dire
consequences for T&T if its citizens continued to litter and degrade
the environment; and a team of brothers, ages 7 and 9, whose
delivery of a lengthy monologue about disaster preparedness charmed
audience members. The fortune teller from Port of Spain was awarded
second place, while a duo from Tobago, a perennially strong
contestant, captured third place. The Embassy sponsored prizes of
TT$5000 (US$800) for the grand prize winner, plus a computer system
for the winners' school, and smaller cash prizes and Scholastic book
donations for the second and third prize winners. ODPM sponsored
T-shirts and bandanas for students, and the Ministry of Education
oversaw transportation and refreshments (including lunch for the
students).


6. (U) Media coverage was extensive and positive. A lengthy article
and three photos appeared in the respected daily The Guardian (circ.
50,000),with another feature in tabloid Newsday (circ. 72,000).
Local television also covered the contest on the evening news. The
Minister of Education, Esther Le Gendre, praised the children's
creativity and those who supported educating the public on disaster
preparedness. Quoted in several articles, Ms. Geneieve Francis,
speaking on behalf of the winning school, hailed the win as "a
collaborative effort of all the children".


7. (U) COMMENT: Coinciding with several USG initiatives to engage

PORT OF SP 00000071 002 OF 002


the GOTT on the protection of critical energy infrastructure, both
bilaterally and regionally, this year's Song and Verse Competition
reinforced mission efforts to promote disaster preparedness across
the board in T&T. Further, the contest enabled post to communicate
the U.S. Government's commitment to building capacity for disaster
preparedness in the Caribbean Region to a new and larger audience.
END COMMENT.


AUSTIN