Calypso music has long been a central feature and proud of living in Guyana, a former British colony only 750,000 people relaxed on the northeastern shoulder of South America.
But the politically hot recent songs lyrics were too much for the Government. Staff at the national communications network operated by the Government, or NCN, received a directive this week that prohibits the transmission of new songs calypso.
Public works Minister Robeson Benn was so angry with a tune on radio NCN that drove up to the station itself "to find out what the hell was going on," said an official spokesman.
"It was libelous," the Minister said. "I keep it as my right to go to the station to intervene in an activity which I think impacted me as a citizen and as a Minister."
One of Calypso that offended the authorities blasts government corruption record.
"With all de dat corruption taking place, there is de fe ones (they) guilt, while dem a thief, thief, thief," the song that won a local competition, goes into the local Creole language.
"Calypso lyrics are spicy," said the singer, Lester Charles. "Get you real or laughing my head vex."
President Donald Ramotar Guyana recognizes it has a problem of corruption, but says that its scale is exaggerated.
Calypso six times national champion Geoffrey Phillips, who goes by the name of "The Mighty rebel", described the ban on State media as "despicable and disgusting."
"Calypso are the spirit and passion of the people," he said. "If we're being forced to tone it down, then Calypso would have lost the soul."
(Writing by Girish Gupta, Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Peter Cooney)
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