The BVI 2025 Calypso Monarch competition has been rocked by the disqualification of Zamfir Z. Adams, who performed under the stage name Officer Adams, after it was discovered that he breached the competition’s rules regarding previously performed material.
According to a report by Virgin Islands News Online, the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee (VIFFC) stated:
> “We do not believe that competitors Eklund Z. Adams, Joycelyn Searles Duncan, and Lester Fontelio sought to deceive the VIFFC or the Calypso Sub-committee, but rather interpreted the rules incorrectly, resulting in the breach.”
The Committee further stated that the offences committed in 2025 shall not affect the participation of the competitors in the upcoming year, 2026.
Officer Adams was disqualified after it was determined that he had performed the same songs previously in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, violating the Monarch’s requirement for original or unreleased work.
ANN has been reliably informed that the matter came to light after a Vincentian calypsonian contacted a competitor in this year’s BVI Monarch competition, alleging that Officer Adams had used the songs before. The competitor later provided screenshots and a voice note of the conversation, which were shared with ANN. The content appears to confirm that the tipoff from within the Vincentian calypso community was instrumental in triggering further scrutiny by the VIFFC.
As a result of the disqualification, the competition standings have been updated:
Reynold “King Paido” Phillips is now officially the First Runner-Up, receiving $3,000, a trophy, and a sash.
Jaynene Jno Lewis, known on stage as Miss Understood, takes the Second Runner-Up spot, earning $2,000, a trophy, and a sash.
The Best Lyrics Award has been re-awarded to Young Blood, who will receive a $100 cash prize, a trophy, and a sash.
The VIFFC has committed to reviewing its processes and offering clearer guidance to all future entrants to ensure full compliance with competition rules.
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