‘People don’t always remember their history’

Merle Albino-de Coteau, Lennox Ling and Jemma Jordan were hailed as the 2019 Honourees for the National Schools Panorama on Sunday at the Queen’s Park Savannah.

Merle Albino-de Coteau is a retired director of culture in the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Women’s Affairs. She is credited with being the first woman to arrange a Panorama selection, in 1969. She is a graduate of Mc Gill University, Canada and the University of the West Indies. She holds several awards for her contributions to music in TT, including the Hummingbird Medal, Kwanza Award and a Sunshine Award from the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Albino-de Coteau is an internationally renowned examiner who has given yeoman service to many spheres of musicians and music enthusiasts around the world.

In an interview with Newsday, Albino-de Coteau said, “I really feel honoured to be receiving this award after all these years of being involved with pan. I was the first woman to have a panside in a school, back when Mt Hope Secondary school was a junior sec – that was in 1974.

“People don’t always remember their history and I’m grateful to be an honouree.”

The second person Honoured, Lennox Ling is from Princes Town. At three he moved to Mayo Village, where he attended the Mayo RC School, and then Presentation College. He began to play pan around the age of 16 with the Teenage Symphony in San Fernando. At 18 he started his own band, Vigilantes. Ling moved to the US in 1967 and with the help of Ellie Mannette formed the Humming Birds band. He returned to Trinidad in 1999 and has worked with several schools, including Mayo RC and Tortuga Government Primary. Ling is also a cyclist, winning a bronze medal in a Road Race and a silver medal in the Criterium at 80. Jemma Jordan, a certified judge of calypso and mas, was also honoured. She has served the National Junior and Senior Calypso Monarch competitions at several stages. Jordan is also an international announcer whose voice has been heard at major Carnival activities – Panorama, Dimanche Gras and the Parade of the Bands – since 1995. She served as programme co-ordinator of the Children’s Activities Committee for Carifesta VI (1995) AND IX (2006) as well as co-ordinator of the Junior Best Village Programme (2012 to present).

“I have been an announcer for 29 years and a teacher for 38 years. As funny as it may sound, I feel honoured to be honoured. For my contribution to be recognised gives me a feeling of satisfaction. I am happy to be honoured while I am alive so I can enjoy it,” said Jordan.

Those honoured were in for a treat as they savoured the dynamic and sometimes humorous performances of children throughout TT who appreciate pan as much as they do.