Country’s top show biz prize might need new name

Santo Domingo.- Dominican Republic’s equivalent to the Oscars/Grammys awards, El Casandra, will be the bone of contention starting today, after the family of the late folk singer Casandra Damirón warned the Art Critics Association (Acroarte) that it can no longer use that name for the prizes which have been held in her honor during 27 years.

"We have decided to withdraw permission for the name of our mother from continuing to be used as part of the awards known as Casandra or the Casandra Awards," the family said in a statement called "La Soberana."

The statement signed by Luisa Noboa Rivera Damirón, Joseph E. Rivera Damirón and Andrew J. Damirón Moreta said the decision was officially notified to Acroarte and through legal action on July 26.

The relatives complain that the prize has veered from the rules which "governed the award in terms of content and rationale," among them that it includes "the absence of plurality of musical genres which had characterized the show, the unabashed awarding of prizes to foreign artists and sometimes with short careers namced in cases of questionable moral behavior which detract from El Casandra.”