Tuco to help calypsonians plan for retirement

Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (Tuco) president Ainsley King said one of the objectives is putting plans in place so that calypsonians are able to manage their money and their health during their retirement.

“I’ve been observing for a while that many calypsonians die poor over the past few years. I know most people will say there has been a decline in the kaiso tents, the kaiso promotions, they’ve lost interest in kaiso and so on and it’s something I’m working on.”

He said while it is important for Tuco to put things in place to make a calypso career more viable and financially rewarding, some things were up to the individual calypsonians.

“There are cases where calypsonians made a lot of money, but mismanagement became a problem at the end because they didn’t save for a rainy day, and this is what retirement is about. The first step for me is to have education courses in taking care of their financial interests, taking care of their health, for later on. It’s something that individuals need to pay attention to as it’s in their interest.”

King, who was re-elected as president of Tuco on August 20, said there were some calypsonians who had managed their money well and had retired without needing financial assistance. He said more people needed to do this. He said Tuco would try to become wealthier by developing the right habits to earn money, and educate its members.

“We have to be realistic. Tuco’s responsibility is to put programmes in place such as health and pension plans, but at the end of the day it’s a matter of choice for members to participate. No one can blame us if we put things in place to assist or help people get a better life, but it’s dependent on the individual. The decision to put aside something for retirement so you could be comfortable is a choice you have to make.

King also urged calypsonians to make better choices to take care of their health.

“Is you choosing what to eat, is you choosing your lifestyle. If you’re drinking alcohol, you’re hardly resting, that is really your responsibility. So sometimes when people get sick and they’re wondering why, it’s really their fault, they brought the end result on themselves. I am pointing towards preventative measures to help calypsonians to have healthier lifestyles.”

King said having a health plan was good, just in case, but practising good health was even better.

Life after calypso

Divas calypso tent manager Dr Rudolph Ottley echoed similar sentiments, saying individuals needed to take responsibility for preparing for retirement.

“I know over the years there has been a lot of talk from the organisation (Tuco) about having an insurance policy, that has never materialised for whatever reason. I think the organisation should have retirement seminars and workshops so they expose the calypsonian to that part of their life that they probably take for granted. It boils down to the organisation taking care of the calypsonians, not only in terms of performances, but in terms of their lives after calypso.”

He said the onus was on the organisation to develop alliance with insurance companies or even those involved in retirement planning so they can expose their membership to what is involved in planning for retirement, which had not been done previously, resulting in calypsonians ending up in dire economic circumstances.

He said the younger calypsonians would appreciate the education, especially those who understood their careers won’t last for their entire lifetime.

Lord Relator (Willard Harris) said he never thought about retirement planning over the years and had only made a will within the last two years.

“I never really sat down and planned about when I retire and all that. That never came into my head at all.”

He said the deaths of his colleagues over the years had triggered thoughts of planning for his future and that of his family.

Always have a back-up plan

Tuco general secretary Shirlane Hendrickson said while many people focus on calypsonians dying poor, they are not recognised for their work and reimbursed according to their worth, while alive.

She said Tuco and the government have been providing for calypsonians, although more was always needed.

“When it comes to culture and the arts, it is never enough, because people don’t understand the work expended by each individual body in pan, mas and calypso across the board. The public always feel, once they hear a dollar going anywhere, where they getting that money from, why are they getting this and that?

“That is very painful, because when we go abroad and perform, people lap us up, we are the feature and highlight TT. Once the citizenry understands we deserve every penny expended, that’s the first thing. How come when something happens, politicians always find a calypso to speak, yet still we are always being thrashed in that way?”

She said Tuco has been championing education over the years, and her father, calypsonian Anthony "Allrounder" Hendrickson, and her mother had taught her the same thing.

“Get your education, always have a backup plan. We would like to see a lot more being done, especially with calypso being on the curriculum in the schools, not just an after-school activity, like pan being an after-thing in the evenings. By calypso our stories are told. What are we doing with all the calypsos that have been written, why is that not being used as our poetry in schools?

She said the cultural legacy must be passed between generations. She said many people know more Jamaican music than they do calypso, and should uphold and cherish their own culture.

“Why is culture always the bastard child where we have to think if to do that? We have calypsonians who are pannists, who make mas, are involved in the theatre arts, who are dancers. We have a rich heritage in TT. In Tobago, we have the Tobago Heritage Festival. I remember Prof Hollis Liverpool championing that the elders be given space at UTT and UWI to have a class and talk about their experience and the challenges they had, so the younger ones with the more innovative mindsets could overcome those challenges.”

She said she admired the younger generation for combining their talent, skills, and education as they enter the field.

“I want to encourage them to not just stop at their CXCs but go on to higher education. I want to impart this knowledge locally, regionally, and internationally. There is so much potential in every area that we can earn a dollar, and then financial management of the dollar, for those who were not exposed in that way to how to save and put away for a rainy day.”

Hendrickson said the perception calypsonians were dying poor and didn’t leave enough for their families to bury them was wrong.

“In other areas and places, artists are well secured for their futures. We have been working to put in place a welfare plan. Some of the artists and their families tell us they’re all right and don’t need assistance.”

No pension in soca music

Two-time soca monarch winner and veteran Ronnie McIntosh said his rallying cry for years had been that soca music doesn’t have a pension. He said when his father Art De Coteau passed away, he didn’t leave much behind although he was successful.

“As I grew older, I saw other calypsonians make the same mistake. We can’t always blame the government or the administrations in power. Please don’t depend on any administration to take care of yourselves and your family. Even the umbrella bodies, don’t depend on them, because for a lot of them that is a hobby, while you are making a career out of this, and they’re putting things in place for themselves.”

He said while the older artists may no longer have the opportunity to put things like life insurance, pensions, and health plans in place, the younger ones still have many options.

“We have to educate ourselves and put something in place for down the road. I always advise younger artists, yes in the early stages you can buy sneakers and chains, but then it’s time to diversify and put things in place. Try to be consistent in your craft, because your popularity and success is not guaranteed, based on the seasonal approach we have with our culture. It gives your career a longer life.”

McIntosh said education about financial planning is easily accessible and available online.

Tuco to offer educational workshops

Former national calypso monarch Karene Asche said as newly-elected Tuco welfare officer she is organising workshops on health awareness for members, information on accessing medical services, and health insurance options. She said she went up for the position specifically to assist the older calypsonians.

“I offer financial, emotional and mental support. I have great relationships with a lot of the older calypsonians and I try to instil in them things like staying healthy, trying to eat better. I’d rather see them get better because it’s really heartbreaking to see the great ones go. You can’t get away from illness as you get older, so I’m trying to instil in the majority that health is wealth.”

She said she would be building relationships with community organisations, charities, government agencies, and corporate entities, to create a welfare network for members.

Asche said when she began singing at a young age, her mother would put a percentage of her winnings in the bank after every competition and it is something she continues to this day. She advised young artists to put aside something every time they win or are paid, even if it’s not much, as it adds up.