Baptiste appointed ISM director

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Simon Baptiste has been appointed Creative Director of the Play Whe International Soca Monarch.

In a release yesterday, the Caribbean Prestige Foundation (CPF) officially announced Baptiste in the role, less than a week after Fay-Ann Lyons-Alvarez vacated the role as the event’s chairman.

CPF noted that Baptiste managed successful events including Decibel and the popular Kes the Band concert Tuesday on the Rocks.

“We welcome Mr Baptiste who is no stranger to the local entertainment industry and look forward to working with him to accomplish our goal of building the International Soca Monarch brand,” said CPF Director Geoffrey Wharton-Lake.

Baptiste said, “I’m truly honoured to be a part of this historic and ground-breaking event experience and would like to graciously thank the organisers of the ISM for this opportunity. Soca Monarch has created a stage for our artistes that has allowed them to cross-regional and international borders and introduced our music to countries in Latin America, North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. The potential of this event is limitless and I simply aspire to match the phenomenal work done by my predecessors and shine a spotlight on this genre globally.”

The release also confirmed that the prize structure from last year’s competition remained in place.

“I am also pleased to announce that the National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB) is once again the title sponsor of this year’s competition, which will officially be called the Play Whe International Soca Monarch. The first prize for the Play Whe International Soca Monarch Power Category is one million dollars while the first prize for the Groovy Category is $500,000,” said Wharton-Lake

The release also confirmed that registration for the International Soca Monarch competition will continue until Friday, having begun last Saturday, January 18.