Tassa group wins in HollywoodBy FELICIA RAMPERSAD Saturday, September 6 2008
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The Country Boys Tassa Group in action....
THE COUNTRY Boys’ Tassa Group, of Clarke Road, Penal, won 12 gold medals and two plaques during the 12th Annual World Championship of Performing Arts held in July in Hollywood, California. Members of the group say their achievement is made more remarkable by the fact that they got no support from government.
The group had the honour of performing at the opening ceremony at Universal Studios, Hollywood City Walk.
They won the senior instrumental, open and original categories, which included groups of four to nine members each.
Narine Bachoo, the group’s manager, said that their achievement was due to the determination of members of the group to display their talent internationally. With financial support from small businesses, the group was able to pursue their goal and perform in the competition.
However, the group feels that their win has gone unnoticed by the government and the country at large.
Despite pleas for assistance, the government through its relevant authorities did not respond to the call. As it is, the group is still owing $24,000.
Bachoo said: “We are hoping that, after achieving all of this and bringing recognition to our country, the Prime Minister and the Culture Minister will still offer some assistance.”
He added that the government financially assisted the Carifesta and Emancipation committees but did not see fit to support the tassa group in their venture.
“We took our talent to the international level and won. We did it for our country,” he added. The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Gender Affairs had originally promised to sponsor the cost of airfare, which came up to $28,000.
However, they later said that they would not be sponsoring a team from Trinidad and Tobago. Desperate to perform at the competition, the group borrowed the amount and has yet to repay it.
“We were depending on the Ministry and they only told us the bad news the week before the competition.
It was not enough time and no one was willing to step up to the plate,” Bachoo said.
The group is now appealing for assistance from the corporate community to pay off their debt. Bachoo can be reached at 647-0202, 762-3277 or 385-7558, or at e-mail countryboystassa@gmail.com.
