While Fay-Ann’s performance was near flawless (she almost fell off the surf-board), Bunji’s performance was inspirational. I personally know of people who were moved to tears during Garlin’s performance, I also heard of commentators’ ‘pores raising’… These are things that you cannot put on a score-sheet, my dear people. There was simply no comparison to the fire and passion oozing out of Garlin on that night - none..

Iwer George, whatever people may think of him as a lyricist - is an exceptional performer, always a force to be reckoned with. His performance contained even less flaws that that of Fay-Ann, so his second placing is not a surprise.

As for the whole ‘Best Village’ argument… man, the days when a man or woman would just go up on stage and sing and dance are gone. Theatre is now as important to the performance as the performance itself. The singer sings his or her song, while the actors/actresses/props tell a story behind him or her. We have been seeing props in the Calypso Monarch for years and nobody complained, so what is the problem now? If you think Fay-Ann should have won, then say that, but do not disparage Bunji’s use of props and pyrotechnics. That’s part of the performance.

The difference between Bunji Garlin and the two runners up (Fay-Ann and Iwer) on that night is like the difference between Lara and Chanderpaul. As a batsman, Chanderpaul is just as effective as Lara, and by the time he retires, he may even supersede Lara statistically - but that extra lethal, stinging, intangible ‘thing’ about Lara that ignites such a wide range of passionate emotions - that is what Bunji Garlin had on Soca Monarch night. There’s no category for that on a scoresheet.