Rikki Jai gets late call-up to join Kamla in England
Thursday, March 17 2011

TRINIDAD EXPRESS - By Sheila Rampersad - Chutney Soca Monarch Samraj "Rikki Jai" Jaimungal left for London last evening to join Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and her contingent at events commemorating Commonwealth Week.

Persad-Bissessar is current Commonwealth chairperson in office. She will be relieved in October by Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Speaking to the Express yesterday, Jaimungal said he was asked by the Prime Minister to join the delegation which includes Soca Monarch and Road March winner Machel Montano; the HD crew comprising Patrice Roberts, Kernel Roberts, Pravana Maharaj, and Timel Rivas; and four-time Calypso Queen Denyse Plummer.

The contingent left Trinidad four days after Carnival and is scheduled to return next Monday.

Jaimungal, the inaugural beneficiary of a $2 million first prize in the Chutney Soca competition, said yesterday he will not be singing his winning and controversial composition, "White Oak and Water".

"I will be the chutney representative there so I won't be singing any 'rum' songs," he said.

"I have enough music to present one hour of work and sing nothing about rum."

Jaimungal said he intends to perform his successful 2005 song "Mor Tor", a version of which features Machel Montano, along with "Kangan Choraweh" and "Boleh Murugwah".

All three songs take their themes from Hindu wedding celebrations.

On Sunday, during a telephone interview, Jaimungal said he was not disappointed at being excluded from the list of entertainers chosen by the Prime Minister to accompany her to England to promote the country's culture.

He said he was originally contacted and told he had been selected to be part of the delegation, but noted he had no complaints after being subsequently told he could not be accommodated due to financial constraints.

"I was contacted by the Office of the Prime Minister to be part of the delegation. But I was later informed that due to lack of funding or sponsorship I will not be taken," he said in the telephone interview on Sunday.

He left at 5 p.m. yesterday from Piarco International Airport.