Machel Montano intends to be a fixture on the Carnival 2013 events roster and expects to turn up for all pre-planned scheduled engagements. This, even as he awaits a sentencing hearing scheduled for January 17, following a guilty verdict handed down by Magistrate Maureen Baboolal-Gafoor on December 10, 2012, on charges of assault and the use of obscene language at the Zen nightclub on Keate Street, Port-of-Spain.
“Who say February 4? Who say Machel Monday?” he asked a capacity crowd at Fantasy Carnival’s Savage Saturday fete held at Pier 1, Chaguaramas, at the weekend. “Now I not telling you who coming, but I will be there! Montano said, to screams, cheers and thunderous applause.
Last month, Montano was found guilty of five criminal offences, four of which are charges of assault against Gerard Borwin, Brandis Browne, Jenelle Lee Chee and Russell Pollonais.
At the time of the incident, Montano was with producer/songwriter Kernal Roberts, Groovy Soca Monarch runner up, Rodney “Benjai” LeBlanc and HD Family member Joel Zan Fevek. Each was charged with individual offences of assault but Roberts was the only other defendant involved in the fracas to be found guilty.
Wearing a white T-shirt with the phrase No Music, No Life, emblazoned on it, Montano told fans: “They can take away everything from me, but they can’t take away the music.”