🎶 District 7, Where’s the Calypso Spirit? Saltibus Combined Leads the Way! 🎶

Once again, Saltibus Combined School has proven that talent, passion, and preparation go a long way in keeping Saint Lucian culture alive. At the recently held National Schools Junior Calypso Competition, Ti Moto proudly represented Saltibus with the original song “Mr. CPEA,” and secured an impressive third place finish.

Check out this proud moment as Ti Moto receives his trophy, standing tall beside his presenters after delivering a performance that clearly struck a chord with the judges and audience alike.

While we celebrate this well-deserved recognition, we must also pause and reflect. Where were the other District 7 schools? Last year, Choiseul was buzzing with calypso energy—multiple schools participated, voices rose in rhythm and rhyme, and students felt the beat of our national art form. But this year, the silence was deafening.

Only one school from our district showed up and showed out.

And to the team at Saltibus Combined—we salute you. Your commitment to cultural development is evident. Your presence at this event shows what’s possible when a school community chooses to invest in its students’ creativity. Congratulations to your staff and music coordinator for nurturing young talent and representing our district with pride.

But here's the hard truth: one school's participation is not enough.

Where were the others? Where are the school principals? The music teachers? The programs that once made District 7 a lively hub for youth calypso?

The National Schools Junior Calypso Competition is more than just a show. It’s a national initiative to safeguard Saint Lucia’s musical identity and cultivate the next generation of calypsonians. It's part of the broader Lucian Carnival calendar, a space for our youth to express themselves and build confidence through performance.

Yet, somewhere along the way, we seem to have lost momentum.

It's time for some honest soul-searching.
👉 Are we giving our music programs the resources they need?
👉 Are teachers being supported to scout and train talent?
👉 Do we view calypso as an "extra," or as the powerful cultural tool that it is?

The students are ready. The talent is there. What’s missing is the institutional will.

Let’s not allow this decline in participation to become the new norm. Let’s recommit to giving our children the chance to shine, just like Ti Moto did today.

If Saltibus Combined School can do it, so can every other school in District 7. Let’s raise our voices, revive the rhythm, and ensure that next year, our district is not only heard—but felt—in every calypso verse.

To the principals, teachers, and education leaders in District 7: Calypso needs you. Our children need you. The culture needs you. Let’s get back on beat.