RICK RAMOUTAR became the winner of the first ever National Carnival Chutney Soca Monarch held in San Fernando yesterday.

The competition was the alternative to the Chutney Soca Monarch finals which was this year shifted from Skinner Park, San Fernando to Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain by Southex promoter George Singh.

Ramoutar, who played a violin before kicking off his song "I wish I was single", copped the first prize of a Ford Fiesta car valued $186,000 and a $50,000 recording contract in the show dubbed Super Saturday.

"I am very much happy right now. I am pleased and I feel more confident in my career," Ramoutar who has been entering competitions for the past eight years said yesterday during a telephone interview.

Second place prize of $75,000 in the competition went to Chris Garcia and Sally Sagram was awarded the $50,000 third prize.

Many of the 12 other contestants who each netted $10,000 for their performances used props and fireworks during their presentations.

And though the show was in honour of Sundar Popo and Garfield "Ras Shorty I" Blackman, was off to a late start on Saturday night, hundreds of patrons attended the competition which ended in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Guest appearances were made by David Rudder, Black Stalin and Rikki Jai and Blackman's wife Claudette Blackman was also presented with a plaque on his behalf.

The event was organised by former San Fernando mayor and current Chairman of PLIPDECO Ian Atherly and produced by the National Chutney Foundation of Trinidad and Tobago (NCFTT). The Point Lisas Port Development Corporation Limited (PLIPDECO) also helped sponsor the competition.

Last week the 2012 Chutney Soca Monarch finals, organised by Singh was held in Port of Spain.

Ramoutar placed third in that competition which was won by Kris "KI" Persad. Rikki Jai came second.

Source:http://www.trinidadexpress.com/carnival/Big_win_for_Rick-139665853.html