Trinbago Unified Calypsonians' Organisation (TUCO) has revealed that their tabulator, Samantha Richards has been relieved of duty.
This follows comments made by the tabulator regarding the Road March race in San Fernando.
Richards was speaking with Guardian Media outside the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA) yesterday when she stated that Machel Montano was leading the Road March competition with his Pardy, followed by Bunji Garlin’s Carry It.
In a release, TUCO sought to assure the public that results of the Road March competition are based "purely on statistics, being the number of times a song is played when bands cross the stage at the various judging points." Further stating that "the opinion expressed by that particular tabulator is irrelevant to the results of the competition which are yet to be tabulated."
The entity also emphasised that the "integrity of the Road March competition is sacrosanct to TUCO."
They also reiterated that the comments made by the tabulator in question are not indicative of the results of the Road March competition and were "unauthorised and not in accordance with the TUCO’s criteria and standards."
Soca artiste Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez, wife of Bunji Garlin, took to social media yesterday questioning the tabulators’ professionalism: “Are these JUDGES?? … If soooo Ok … what level of madness is this?? I’ve been around this competition for yearsssssss … never have I heard or seen judges discussing results prematurely! And to further state you’re getting info from other places and putting it in the public domain before a proper audit or tally is done is the level of “off” that makes you wonder if we really in a simulation. You telling me Alyuh on Elon musk internet like we can’t see Alyuh giving opinions and insights to results …. And you expect US to trust the process!!! Look Alyuh make sense nah!!! Ashton Kutcher yuh could jump out now … This have to be a prank!”