Pan storm: Boogsie accused of politicking at Philmore’s funeral

Len “Boogsie” Sharpe plays one for Ken “Professor” Philmore at his funeral last week Friday at NAPA in San Fernando.
Len “Boogsie” Sharpe plays one for Ken “Professor” Philmore at his funeral last week Friday at NAPA in San Fernando.

THE hotly contested upcoming Pan Trinbago election is fuelling a feud between two panmen, neither of them candidates.

Leader of Fonclaire Milton “Wire” Austin has slammed his counterpart Len “Boogsie” Sharpe for using the funeral of the late Ken “Professor” Philmore to canvass for Beverley Ramsey-Moore as the next president of Pan Trinbago.

“I thought it was disrespectful for Boogsie to come to the man’s funeral to politick like that. He has no respect for the dead,” Wire said yesterday.

At the funeral at the National Academy for the Performing Arts, San Fernando, last Friday, Boogsie, leader of Hadco Phase II, told mourners one of Philmore’s last wishes was for a woman to lead the organisation. He said that woman was Ramsey-Moore, manager of Tobago’s Black Rock-based Katzenjammers, and called on eligible members of the congregation to honour Philmore’s wish by voting Ramsey-Moore. “Woman is boss, woman is boss,” Boogsie said to the audience, who applauded loudly.

Wire responded yesterday, “Boogsie was totally out of place. He should have known better than that.”

Incumbent president Keith Diaz is bowing out, causing a keen interest among seven who have filed nomination papers to contest the October 28 election to replace him. The candidates are Port of Spain mayor Keron Valentine, former THA assemblywoman Ramsey-Moore, Lawford Duprey, Robert Amar, Keith Byer, Vernon Morancie and current external relations officer (ERO) Darren Sheppard.

Sheppard is also the arranger for Fonclaire, having succeeded Philmore when he and the Fonrose and Claire Street band parted ways. Sheppard has already gone on record as saying he will dedicate Panorama 2019 to the memory of Philmore, should he win the post.

On Boogsie’s pledge to play and win the 2019 Panorama competition with Philmore’s tune Pan by Storm, which many believed should have won the 1990 National Panorama competition, Wire said, “He has to be a madman.”

Wire was at the helm of Fonclaire when the band, playing the memorable Philmore composition and arrangement, sung by Designer (Keith Prescott), was denied the title by BP Renegades. Twenty-eight years later, that decision is still hotly debated, with many arguing Philmore and Fonclaire were robbed.

While the song made Skiffle steel orchestra the World Steelband Festival champs, San Fernando mayor Junia Regrello, who captained the band to its victory in 2000, said for Philmore the ultimate victory was the Panorama title he was denied in life.

Regrello also used the funeral stage to call on Pan Trinbago to correct the perceived wrong.

Boogsie said he wanted to give Philmore that title in death, but Wire said, “That song beat every other song 28 years ago, including he (Boogsie). It is the most-played Panorama song on any radio station.

“Leave that right there. I want to stay with his (Philmore) memory. May God rest his soul.”

Philmore died on September 30, a week after he suffered massive injuries in a road accident on the Solomon Hochoy Highway near Claxton Bay.

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