Machel accused of playing politics to win $2M Friday night

Twenty-nine of the world’s top soca artistes will perform at Friday night's bmobile International Soca Monarch Finals and Groovy Soca Monarch Finals at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port-of-Spain.

But even before the show starts there is controversy with four-time Power Soca Monarch winner Ian "Bunji Garlin" Alvarez accusing fan favourite Machel Montano of "playing politics" to win the $2 million bmobile Power Soca Monarch grand prize.

Montano has never won the prize and Alvarez doesn't think Montano can win.

"The crowd knows who they want as their winner, and they would not accept anything less," Alvarez told the Express newspaper.

Alvarez has been hitting Montano in his songs, accusing the artiste of cuddling with politicians to try to influence the result. The lyrics on his song reveal how he feels.

"He gone up by Kamla to drop off CD, ask she to come in the video but she sending Gypsy. You ent see, you ent see, you ent see is politics playing on we, but when next week Friday come, tell them they cannot beat me. But they so caught up with two million."

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan has said his number one pick is Montano. The artist told the Express he is "elated" by the endorsement. However Montano has dismissed concerns that it is a political endorsement, saying it is "one from a man who saw his work and decided to salute it".

He added that the government will not judge the competitions "so they have no way to show favour to him in that regard."

This is the first time since 1996 that Montano has entered the competition. He is expected to perform his soca song "Advantage", which is a tribute to the government.

"Leh we thank the Government. They take we off the pavement. And it was well worth every cent. I say they're intelligent."

William Munro, chairman of Caribbean Prestige Foundation (CPF) that is responsible for the Soca Monarch competition, said he saw nothing wrong with Ramlogan's public support of Montano.

"Everybody has their preferences. I, for one, like Patrice (Roberts) but that does not mean that she is guaranteed to win. I like her because I have seen her grow as an artiste from the Junior Soca Monarch to where she is now," Munro said.

Judges will allocate 80 per cent of the points and bmobile customers, the other 20 per cent, to decide the winners of both the bmobile Power Soca Monarch and Groovy Soca Monarch.