In a press briefing held Tuesday, May 19, 2026 in Kingstown for the upcoming 2026 iteration of Vincymas, the annual carnival celebration of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Earl “Cabba” Bennett, president of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Calypsonians Association, called attention to a longstanding inequity plaguing the island nation’s iconic cultural art form: calypsonians are the only major core stakeholders of Vincymas who receive no guaranteed payment for their work, even as every other participating group walks away with assured compensation.
Bennett framed calypso performance as a practice sustained almost entirely by artists’ passion rather than financial reward, noting that most creators spend untold hours honing their work with no promise of payment. “For the most part, calypso is a labour of love,” Bennett told attendees. “You are like Billy Button … you work for nothing.”
He drew a sharp contrast between the uncertain financial standing of calypsonians and other contributors to the festival, including musical bands, venue operators and assorted third-party service providers, all of whom receive guaranteed payment regardless of competition outcomes. Unlike these groups, calypsonians who fail to advance to the competition’s semi-final round walk away with no compensation at all. Only a tiny subset of performers see meaningful financial gains: artists who go on to win the coveted Calypso Monarch title or other top awards can earn a windfall, but this success is reserved for just a few, Bennett explained.
Even amid this systemic lack of compensation, Bennett emphasized that calypsonians remain deeply committed to nurturing the art form and sustaining St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ national cultural identity. “Because if you don’t have a cultural foundation as an island, as a nation, you could be lost,” he said, highlighting the irreplaceable role that calypso plays in the social fabric of the small island nation.
Bennett used the press conference to issue a public call for greater recognition of calypsonians’ contributions, urging local residents and business leaders to acknowledge the art form’s central place in the country’s heritage. “So understand the importance of calypsonians in the fabric of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, not underestimating their importance,” he said.
The payment inequity is part of a broader need for increased sponsorship and community support across all sectors of Vincymas, Bennett added. He called on local entities to step up with donations when carnival groups including calypso organizations reach out for backing, noting that the festival delivers massive economic benefits to the entire country. “It brings in millions, millions of dollars in our economy… and we must recognise that the carnival plays an important role, an integral role, in buoying the economy,” he said.