Culture veterans, ex-boxing champ get grants

Saxophonist Roy Cape, comedian Dennis “Sprangalang” Hall, calypsonian Timothy Watkins (The Baron) and former light-heavyweight world boxing champion Leslie “Tiger” Stewart, each received a tangible honour on Monday afternoon. They are the first recipients of monthly grant funding for a new cohort of Special Achievers for 2020.

Minister of Social Development and Family Services Camille Robinson-Regis said the grants are to improve the quality of life of those who have contributed significantly to the development of TT and its culture.

She described the recipients as patriots who “by virtue of their career choice, have unconsciously enabled the provision of food on someone else’s table because they created opportunities for employment. Others would have been instrumental in bringing national pride to our country, promoting youth and cultural development and therefore were responsible for nurturing positive values, attitudes, and behaviours,”

She said her ministry “is committed to maintaining its monthly responsibility to you and others who will follow, to ensure that you are given the respect that you earned and the necessary support to guarantee your continued health, security and well-being.”

She said their contribution had also brought love, joy and peace into communities throughout TT and the ministry is happy to help them enjoy the fruits of their labour. She said the grant is an investment to reward their time and talent.

Cape, holder of a Humming Bird Medal (gold), is the leader of the Roy Cape All Stars band and has worked in the field for 50 years. He thanked the government for recognising his contribution. “I would never thought I would have reached this age, to get this gratitude from the government.”

Spranglalang – as well as being a comedian, is an actor, producer, singer and composer. Baron, also known as the “sweet soca man,” told the media he was grateful for the grant and promised to continue contributing to the growth of the calypso fraternity. The minister told Newsday she could not say how much the grants were worth because that information was personal to each recipient.