[odeo=http://studio.odeo.com/audio/17421703/view]
A Scalper or as we call dem in Trini a Scalpah, for the purpose of this post is someone who “buys” fete tickets at face value and resells them at a profit. Loud4Spite like to call dem Pipers wit Class. Based on my experience I have determined that there are 3 species of Scalpahs during Carnival season. There is the traditional Street Scalpah, Travel Agency Scalpah and Family/Friend Scalpah. Ah guess by now allyuh see wey ah going wit dis ting right? I understand dat everybody have to eat ah food, but when people trying to dig out yuh eye, someting have to be said. It bad enuff that there are only a handfull of fetes where you actually get wat yuh pay for………..why yuh have to be victimized by everybody and dey mother too. Anyhow lewwe get this show on d road.
D Traditional Street Scalpah in my opinion is a bit more complex than meets d eye. For the foreigners who family does pick up dey fete tickets before dey land I eh kno if yuh people ever explain d pressure dey does endure to get dem tickets (unless yuh have a hook-up of course). Dey does have to listen to d radio or check d papers to see when and where dese ticket would be available. Then there are times dey have to wait o a long line for these tickets and then dey are only allotted a certain number of tickets. The ticket allottment ah figure is to deter scalping. So lets ask ourselves dis question……..How dem street Scalpahs does get dey hand on all dem tickets year after year? Well I have a conspiracy theory. My warped mind is telling me that these Scalpahs are somehow affiliated with these fete promoters. Or they does pay people money to buy tickets………well dats also possible. What alluh tink? But in any case these Scalpahs are a very valuable asset. If yuh did not buy a ticket for a fete and yuh juss gaping outside d fete, by asking bout 5-8 Scalpahs dey price will give yuh a good gauge as to if its worth going into dat fete. As far as purchasing counterfeit tickets, if yuh been feting for a while yuh will start to recognize d professional Scalpahs face because yuh will see dem at every fete. Dese fellas are usefull if d price is right.
Now d Travel Agency Scalpahs are those agencies that sell package “deals” or single tickets online. I does look at some of these prices compared to the actual tickets prices and does wonder who in dey right mind buying dese tickets. D sad ting bout this is that after dey collect dey money and was all professional wit yuh, when yuh land and having issues dey hard to find like yuh deposit money. I eh saying all ah dem bad, but I have heard horror stories from customers. So juss be cognizant of dese characters and wit doing any other purchase, make sure and do extensive research before sending dat deposit. Online message boards are a valuable asset for information on dese businesses.
Ah save d best for last. Family/Friend Scalpahs are of course d most disappointment of d three. Like ah said initially ah understand dat everybody have to eat ah food, but oh gosh yuh own family/friends. From way back when everybody tink because yuh come from foreign dat means dollars running. After all in foreign everyting cheap and d streets are paved with gold. Ah had an interesting experience last year. Usually meh best friend does beat d pavement and organize we tickets. But me playing fass and deviating from d norm decide to take up somebody on ah offer. Now ah fren of a fren family claim she have a “hook-up” to get tickets conveniently. So since convenience was d key ting I forget to ask price because I ASS-ume all ah we is practically 1 famalee since d connection was almost famalee. Well to my disgust, the kinna price dat girl was trying to charge for dem tickets is ike she was planning on we paying for she carnival costume. Needless to say ah tell she keep she tickets……..ah had some other words for she but not going to repeat dem.
So based on my experience, it only have 2 people I using to get my tickets. My best friend who eh go rob meh and meh fellow blogger who eh go try to chook out meh eyes wit price. I recommend meh blogger friend because she offers reasonable prices and she has the 1 ingredient dat everybody complains about worldwide…….Customer Service. She is very professional and does right by her customers. And if she eh do right by anybody and ah find out ah go bad talk she right on here same way. Her site is http://www.trinidadfetetickets.blogspot.com/. For you rookies out there make sure and line up the hard to get tickets early……………………..or be at d mercy of the Scalpahs.
Wining Kriminals 