King Pungwa new Calypso Monarch in St Kitts and Nevis

King Pungwa became the new 2010/2011 Calypso Monarch in St Kitts and Nevis on 29 December 2010 detronizing Socrates, the Calypso Monarch last year. King Pungwa, whose career as a calypsonian started in 1995 and had won the Monarchy in 2001 and 2002, tallied 796 points singing ‘Hang Them High’ in the first round and ‘Take de Old Clothes Off’ in the second. In ‘Hang Them High’, King Pungwa advocated the use of the gallows for all those who chose to take the lives of their fellow men, while the second rendition spoke to the hypocritical behaviour of some pastors who dip their hands in the kitty; division and sexual pervasiveness in the church; and the coming of the Antichrist, whom he said is already present in the church. He called on wrongdoers to ‘Take de Old Clothes Off’ by changing their evil ways and live a life that is in keeping with righteousness.

Socrates, a five-time Monarch, was relieved of his crown by a mere two points. In the first round, which many patrons said was the better of his renditions, he sang a song entitled ‘Mortgage’ in which he addressed the Speaker of the National House of Assembly on a number of political issues, noting that the country is heavily indebted and has mortgaged many acres of land, While calling on the Prime Minister to tender his resignation. In that round, he had a slide presentation display to augment his props, used his hands to emphasise his points and his word craft was in sync with the music. In the second round, he sang a song called ‘Still Sorry’. This rendition spoke to past and current issues in Haiti. Socrates sang about the Haitian Revolution and that country being the first republic ruled by African ancestry, events for which Haitians were never forgiven by the developed countries. He also noted the many crises the people of Haiti suffered and still suffering, and that even countries in the Caribbean region had turned their backs on the impoverished nation.