Bro Resistance is TUCO president again

TUCO president Lutalo “Bro Resistance” Masimba .  -
TUCO president Lutalo “Bro Resistance” Masimba . -

LUTALO “Brother Resistance” Masimba is once again the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians' Organisation (TUCO) president.

He retained his position after the July 26 election at the National Carnival Commission’s (NCC) VIP Lounge, Queen’s Park Savannah and Mt Pleasant/Carnbee Community Centre, Tobago. Voting took place from 10 am - 4 pm. Masimba said he felt good about the election’s outcome.

He added he felt a “joy in his heart” by the new executive’s composition. “When I look at the people elected yesterday," he said on Monday, "I feel a joy in my heart. I see a number of young people. I see a number of women as well. I think this is an executive that has the capacity to accomplish so much and I feel excited…”

Masimba said he felt good about Sunday’s election and the fact that people came out (over 250 of them) and participated in the democratic process. Retaining his presidency was important for the road mapped out for the organisation and to complete the organisation’s transformation while developing its corporate face, he said.

“TUCO is a leader and TUCO wants to make sure we extend, point a direction and make a difference in the creative sector and the entertainment world.”

Concerns were raised by Errol “Bally” Ballantyne about the 2018 Ernst and Young audit report before Sunday’s election. In a July 22 Newsday report, Ballantyne questioned sums paid to the organisation’s president for commissions and vacation. He vied for the post of public relations officer.

Asked if he would again address the issues Ballantyne raised, Masimba said they had already been aired on more than one occasion with the general membership. He said while a lot of things did not augur well for the audit process, it was important for members to have some kind of understanding of the process. He said there was no problem talking about the issues raised in the Ernst and Young report.

Masimba said things were not perfect and there would always be things that could have been done better, but he hopes to do things a lot better in his new three-year term.

Ballantyne, in a phone interview with Newsday, said he wished the organisation the best when asked his feelings on the election’s outcome. He added, “That is the organisation I belong to and I love. And the unsuccessful candidates, just remember, we are still one family, TUCO family.”

Members of the new TUCO board:

President: Lutalo “Brother Resistance” Masimba

Vice president: Ainsley King

General secretary: Shirlane Hendrickson

Assistant general secretary: Brian London

Public relations officer: Sherma Orr-Watkins

Assistant PRO: Rondell Donawa

Treasurer: Anthony Johnson

Assistant treasurer: Judy Benicourt

Welfare officer: Carlston Kerr

Education and research officer: Meagan Sylvester

Marketing manager: Devon Seale

Trustee: Ann Marie Parks Kojo

Trustee: Bernice Carr

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