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Summit Of The Americas - Page 8

Geenie, actually the lady that sang the national anthem (Anne Fridal) is Trinidadian.

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Americas The Summit

LDS thanks for the update and correction. However, I totally disagree with the fact that Brian Macfarlane was the one who asked her to sing. I am 100% sure, Patrick Manning wanted her to sing the anthem in an opera style and knew that many Trinis would not appreciate it. So he got a prominent and well loved person, Mr Brian Macfarlane to approach Anne.

There is something I wish to point out to Anne Fridal. The Heliconia is the correct name for the flower and it is also locally known as the Balisier. The two are not different as she tries to explain. I thought that her floral hair arrangement looked silly and screamed of politics. I am shocked that Ashvin Bally would create this hairdo!

Now I have another bone to pick. Why on earth, would we select a person (Machel Montano) with two criminal pending charges to perform at the Summit? I understand that Obama was looking forward to hearing the Mighty Sparrow sing at the Summit. Manning could have selected so many other talented and well known calypsonians but had to choose one with a lot of negative publicity and criminal charges pending! Heaven help us all! At least David Rudder was there to save the day!

Summit Of The Americas Caribbean / Tobago & Trinidad

The real issue here is how do we as a country truly benefit? Did we even need it? I mean are we offering something that is different from other countries that we need to invite the rest of the world to see? Everyone knows we have oil, everyone knows we hve Tobago, so what else is Manning putting on the table?

Page 8 Americas The Summit

Name: Brenda

Comments: It is sad when an uneducated segment of the population does not take time to research a topic before bursting out with irregularities. Ms Fridal has sung at the Royal Opera House convent garden the New York City Opera Glyndebourne opera wolf trap opera and toured the world what have you done and she is a dramatic soprano invited by Mr Mac Farlane to bring some class back to this country as she is a Trinidadian from San Fernando. [..]

Message Edited... Persephone: A terribly written message. Before submitting your comments please use good grammar, check your spelling and remember that names of places and people begin with an uppercase letter.

Americas The Summit

Brenda said:

Brenda, please enlighten me, how does singing the national anthem in operatic style brings back class to this country? Do you know how it really makes us look? Like foolish people who have no clue about embracing our own culture. It appears that we are ashamed of what we have to offer here and lack originality. Therefore, to be accepted, we are forced to emulate "foreigners" by adopting the "foreign culture." Why didn't someone ask a steelband or even one steel pan player to play the national anthem while Anne Fridal sang along? (Not in opera style Brenda). Don't you think that this would have been classy to showcase our own music, talent and sense of style?

Edited: Geenie on 6th Aug, 2009 - 2:09am