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Federal Opposition Leader,Hon. Mark Brantley wants a public discussion on the future of Culturama. Brantley sent a text to Freedom Fm's "ISSUES" last Friday indicating that he was not against Kittitian participation in Culturama. Brantley said he understood he was being portrayed as someone who was against Kittitians who had participated and won during the recently concluded Culturama activities.
Kittitian Roslyn Berkeley won the Ms. Swimwear; the junior Calypso Monarch was won by Kittitian King Scribbles, and the 1st and 2nd Runners up were from St. Kitts.The Mr. Kool Contest was also won by a young man from St. Kitts. Grand Masters backed up the calypso finalists.
Brantley said " I gather that there is some talk now on radio and I am being portrayed as not wanting Kittitians to participate in Nevis' culturama. I have expressed no such position publicly or privately. What I have done is invited a public debate as to the future of Culturama and the question of whether it should be opened up to competitors from St. Kitts or remain a unique Nevisian festival.
Culturama was designed to promote and preserve Nevisian folklore and culture. Should we stay true to those roots or should we become just another carnival? That to me is a legitimate debate if we are to map a way forward for our festival. I just wanted my position to be clear," said Brantley.