Amend Sedition Act

NINE-TIME Calypso Monarch Hollis “Chalkdust” Liverpool said the Sedition Act should be amended rather than repealed.

He gave his views last night at NAPA, Port of Spain after receiving the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago from President Paula-Mae Weekes. He welcomed receipt of the nation’s top honour, in the Republic Day 50th National Awards ceremony after challenges in his calypso career.

He told Newsday that his singing of calypso had once got him fired from his teaching job. “I was a charged for singing a calypso in school, charged by the Teaching Service Commission. I was dismissed from teaching for singing calypso. So this award is a big thing for me. When you look back at the road I have travelled.”

In light of this disclosure, Newsday asked his views on sedition. “I’m the person who sang the calypso ‘Ah ‘fraid Karl.’ The reason was because I was afraid of the Sedition Act. It must be modified. You can’t have a Sedition Act like that in the country that was made at that time to facilitate a certain class of people.

“We still need a Sedition Act because there are many foolish people in the country but at the same time we have to modify it. That’s what makes a republic, when you can fashion your laws based on the country.” Newsday asked what is next for him? “Like Gypsy said, I’m a calypsonian until I die. One of my first calypsos was ‘Until I die, you will hear my cry.’ So I’ll be here until I die.”

Chalkdust said people must do more to talk up the country. “If the criminals knew the beauty of TT, they can’t be a criminal

The night saw five men honoured with a Hummingbird Medal Bronze for gallantry for helping rescue residents of flood-hit Greenvale on October 18, 2018. These awardees were police officer Thaddeus Caraballo, facilities manager Augustus Castle, coast guard officer Jeremy Lewis, fireman Akil Melville and development officer Kwasi Robinson. Coast guardsman Jeremy Lewis told Newsday the flood water was rising as fast as one fills a glass with juice. His wife Flavia Lewis said he had worked for a long stretch in waters which were very cold and which were flowing with a strong current. This all happened in the dark of night.

“I had no clue if he was alive or dead, until he came up out of the water. Then I saw him. We had no communication, no contact for the entire night.” Lewis had worked 6-8 hours.

“When he came out he was freezing cold. He almost went into hypothermia. The water was extremely cold.” Flavia treated him at home with a hot bath and warm clothes. “He was in water the entire night. It was at night time. He couldn’t see anything as there was no electricity. He might have had a flash light.” Flavia said Lewis helped persons in the school and trapped in the local savannah on a hill.

“They used a hose and a tyre as a flotation device to manoeuvre himself where he needed to get these people. The current was raging.” Asked if she had later slapped him and said don’t do that again, Flavia giggled and replied, “Yes I did. I said don’t do that again, but there’s a part of me that knows his heart. So I said, you go ahead and do what you have to do.”

She said the anniversary of that fateful date was approaching, to celebrate all the lives saved. Lewis’ mother Rosabelle said her son had always been prayerful. She was ecstatic for his award.