London is indeed an unsung hero of TT

THE EDITOR: I had the pleasure of witnessing the National Calypso Monarch finals at the Queen’s Park Savannah last Thursday.

As I sat and listened intensely to the contributions on offer, having not followed calypso for years due to the political and at times racial and divisive messages put forward by some of our calypsonians, clear in my mind was the fact that one person alone stood out – Brian London.

I am not agreeing with nor challenging the judges’ results as they are final. I however believe that a grave injustice has been done to London’s song Unsung Heroes, in particular.

Nowhere in the world are heroes undervalued, taken for granted and most times forgotten as in this land. So to have this calypsonian lift up, hail and pay homage to those considered the least important of our society – the garbage men, newspaper sellers, PH drivers and even the doubles vendors – as the true heroes of this nation was indeed remarkable, astonishing and astounding.

In a time when our calypso is sadly no longer considered global, this giant of a song, which can be sung anywhere in the world, is truly a testament to what calypso is and is supposed to represent.

While there were some outstanding performances on the night, Kurt Allen, Terri Lyons and Duane O’Connor, London was indeed my unsung hero.

Our calypsonians, bakers, market vendors, street vendors, musicians, mechanics, plumbers and all the thousands of you who go beyond the call for this country without as much as a thank you, you are truly heroes of TT.

Thank you all and thank you Brian London for what should have been a winning contribution. May you continue to be the voice of the voiceless, and a champion for the cause of the working class.

DR DENISE LEGALL

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