‘Sousie’ in a pickle

“Stop treating us scruffy.”
That was the cry from veteran calypsonian Michael Director Forde of Sousie fame, who complained yesterday that he was “unceremoniously” omitted from the line-up of artistes who will be performing at Cohobblopot slated for August 4.
He charged that long-serving calypsonians, who had made significant contributions, were being cast aside, as he outlined his version of the sequence of events surrounding an enquiry about his availability for the show. 
Forde told the SUNDAY?SUN he was contacted by show representative Merle Niles about two weeks ago and asked if he was interested in performing his hit Sousie at the show.
“I said yes I would do it for $2 000. She called me a couple days later and said they can’t pay me $2 000. I told her I would do it for $1 800. She called me back and told me they can’t do $1 800 and that they were not willing to pay more than $1 500. I?told her okay I?would settle for that.
“Days passed and I did not hear her so I called and she told me that they are not using me anymore, that they already selected who they wanted. I?told Merle I was disgusted and dissatisfied. I?told her the next time any organization was having a show, don’t even think to include me because I would not be interested,” the visibly upset Forde said.
“I am even more disappointed because I?am of the opinion that if you give somebody your word-of-mouth, even on the telephone, then that is a verbal agreement. They should make sure they keep you in the confines of that agreement.”