Criminal to treat our calypso heroes so

THE EDITOR: Funny (Donric Williamson) has been called the funny man of calypso. He is one person who has invested in one of the more difficult aspects of the genre and he has been entertaining TT for 57 years. Now he is ill.

Inspired and encouraged by the late King Solomon (Samuel Ryan), Funny began singing at a tent in 1966 with Sweet Sweet Trinidad (which he recorded in 1975) and Vicey. By 1967 he sang Food is Food and Good Advice, and then there was his first record, Farmer Brown (1969), together with Pick ‘n’ Patch.

I am recalling these early compositions because TT may have forgotten them and may have also forgotten that Funny is versatile in a variety of forms of calypso (yes, some were raunchy). I am also recalling these beginnings because, over the years, Funny has commanded our respect.

We are making the same mistake that we made with the late Denyse Plummer. Most citizens were not aware of the depth and range of Plummer’s work until the media recently began to broadcast her songs – R&B, country and western, reggae, calypso and gospel.

My further point is that we say “by calypso our stories are told,” yet we do not take physical care of our artistes, particularly the calypsonians. As each one goes down in age and/or ill health, we distance ourselves.

For a few days after their deaths, we play endless rotations of their calypsoes. And while they are in decline, we organise benefit concerts. As a matter of fact, Michael Germain reminded me that the Superior Vintage Brigade is due to have a performance “In Honour of Funny." He hopes that they can get a decent purse to gift him

To be fair, years ago there was an attempt by TUCO to set up a convalescent home for calypsonians.

In the 2011 budget an allocation of $5 million was made towards the construction of a three-storey TUCO Convalescent Home for calypsonians. The facility was intended to provide nursing and supportive care to patients, primarily members of the calypso fraternity who had been discharged from hospital and were without support at home. The site for construction of the home was at Caroni North Bank Road, La Reunion, Carapo, off Arima.

Since the last TUCO election it has now revived the idea of some form of organised welfare programmes.

Certain naysayers are still fighting down these ideas. They are making blanket statements that in their prime certain calypsonians made a bag of money and did not provide for the rainy day.

Whatever happened, we should not judge. There is still an absence of humanitarian care. Their families have to bear the burden of their illness. As I wrote about Plummer, at least let us honour the legacy of artistes like Funny and others like Young Creole.

AIYEGORO OME

The SINUHE

Centre Foundation