Geraldo Vieira: My costume didn’t crash

By Shaliza Hassanali
VETERAN mas engineer Geraldo Vieira Snr has penned a letter of complaint to the National Carnival Commission’s (NCC) chief judge for being left out of the finals of the 2008 King of Carnival competition.
Vieira also asked judge Teddy Viarruel, in his letter dated January 30, to produce his scoresheet “to see the points awarded” under each criterion.
Vieira wrote: “I am forced to lodge this protest for being left out of the finals of the King of Carnival competition.”
But while Vieira has objected, other finalists for Sunday’s Dimanche Gras were not in support of Vieira’s move.
Vieira said what happened with his costume—Night of The Iguana—was a misunderstanding.
“The iguana came forward, never separating itself from the costume. This did not prevent me from being in complete control of the costume without any assistance whatsoever. My costume did not crash.”
Having placed first in the preliminaries with a score of 400 points, Vieira argued that by no stretch of the imagination “could I be placed 19th with a score of 330, based on a misconception of the judges.”
Well-known bandleader Brian Mac Farlane said he suffered the same fate last year, when his costume, India—The Story of Boyie—portrayed by Jhawhan Thomas, collapsed during the semi-final round.
He did not pursue the issue.
“It’s hard for me to say whether Vieira should be allowed into the competition. It depends on what the rules are. You need to go with the rules,” said Mac Farlane.
Masman Roland St George said as far as the judges were concerned, “their decision is final.”
St George said he, too, faced bad experiences in the past with his portrayals, and never once protested.
“I took it in stride. Vieira should be big about it and abide with the judges’ decision. He’s not showing true grit. It was an unfortunate incident.”
St George placed second in the semi-final with his costume Obsession.
St George said Vieira must understand that the structure of his costume changed shape after it collapsed, hence the reason why the judges placed him low down in the competition.
Wade Madray, one of ten finalists, said while he sympathised with Vieira, “I don’t think he should be given a chance to compete.
“What is good for one should be good for all. Vieira should stand up and take his licks like a man.”
©2005-2006 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited

I think he should take his licks like a man too!

I have never been a fan of Geraldo Vieira's King Costumes, while they are a visual delight, I find most of them mechanical and stiff.. lacking the sprit of Carnival. His costumes seem to be designed and built with bruth creative force and money but no style ...hard luck dey man.

Mas Assassin