Montserrat evangelist Jerry Jarvis turns his once wayward road into a righteous path

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March 9, 2019

jerryjarvisrecent — Jerry Jarvis has taken his ministry to places such as Boston, London, Birmingham and around the Caribbean.

“Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.” — Oscar Wilde

In the autumn of 1987, Jerry Jarvis was in the midst of a spiritual awakening. His best friend had recently given his life to Christ and begged Jerry to follow the same path. He convinced Jerry to pay a visit to his church. Jerry went reluctantly. For much of his adult life he had disdained Christianity and was even a Rastafarian for a while. He was radically pro-black and proud of it. But when he visited the church he was pleasantly surprised. The sermons were unlike any he had heard. They made sense to him. His perspective was starting to evolve.

A few months later, on a balmy January evening in 1988 in South Miami, Jerry was in the middle of his daily jog. As he ran, he began to pray. “I said, ‘Lord, if I am living wrong, please show me the way.’ ” Before he could finish the word “way” Jerry looked down and couldn’t believe what he saw. It was so stunning that he stopped running. It was a Bible. Not just any Bible. It was printed in English and Spanish, and it was open to the New Testament, the Gospel According to John. Jerry picked up the book. He didn’t give consideration to whether it was left behind by someone. To Jerry, it was his divine calling.

He took the Bible home and began showing it to friends and even some spiritual leaders. “Every one of them said they had never seen a Bible like that before,” Jerry says. “No one knows where it came from. No one has seen a Bible like that since.”

In the preceding years, Jerry had been living a life of excess. He was a mega-figure in the South Florida music scene, as a club disc jockey, music distributor and publisher. He indulged in the trappings of fame. He once had 19 girlfriends at the same time. He contracted venereal disease 13 times. He smoked marijuana. But seeing that unique Bible convinced Jerry that he had to take a different path.

THE BOY FROM PUMP GHAUT

Before he became a club impresario, DJ extraordinaire and music pioneer who hung out with Bob Marley and James Brown, Jerry Jarvis was “Jerry for Miss Alice” living in the Pump Ghaut section of St. John’s Village in Montserrat. Jerry was born in Antigua, but at 7 months old his father Tom took him to Montserrat to live with Tom’s sister, Alice Allen. Jerry was an intrepid child. He attended St. John’s School, which years later was transformed into the relocated Glendon Hospital after the volcanic eruption in 1995 destroyed the hospital in the capital of Plymouth. Jerry wasn’t an academic scholar but he was no dunce either. He participated in every school play, often in the lead role. He was not shy. He loved attention. He loved the limelight.

*Jerry Jarvis is shown during a Boy Scouts camp at Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua in 1967.*

In August of 1970, Jerry was a month shy of his 15th birthday. He had just completed Senior Seventh Standard at St. John’s School. He planned to take the Seventh Standard Certificate Test and pursue a teaching job. Before he had a chance to take the test, a friend told him there was a job opening at the Vue Pointe Hotel. At that time, it was prestigious to work at the ritzy Vue Pointe. Many employees lived at the hotel, and they all had (free) access to the delicious cuisine. During his job interview, Jerry was asked if he had a Seventh Standard Certificate. He did not. So he lied. “I told them I took the test but I’m still waiting for the results.”

Jerry was hired as a bartender. He would also work as a waiter, bell-hop, cashier and wine steward. Vue Pointe was the top hotel in Montserrat. The tourist business was booming and Vue Pointe was always at capacity. Jerry’s co-workers included calypso monarch Winston “Young Warrior” Christopher, future Montserrat Premier Reuben Meade, cricketer and future first-class umpire Basil Morgan and famous chef Tappy Morgan. Jerry became a popular worker and resident character. He knew how to butter up the tourists, crack jokes and make them feel welcome. His salary was $12 a week, but his tips sometimes took him past $100 a week – very good money at the time, especially for a teenager. “I always had the gift for gab,” Jerry says. “I think I was born talking.”

After about a year and a half, Jerry lost his job following an accumulation of minor incidents. He couldn’t return to St. John’s. “It was an embarrassment to the village to lose your job at Vue Pointe,” he explains. So he went to Plymouth to live with a family friend.

Then came a suggestion from his “brother” Kenneth Allen, Miss Alice’s son who lived in St. Thomas. Why not start your own business? Allen took out a loan, bought some trendy clothes and other items and took them with him to Montserrat. Jerry rented a second-floor space in a building on George Street and opened J.J.’s Hip Store. It was 1972, the era of Black Power, Soul Train and the peace and psychedelic movements. Jerry sold bell-bottom jeans, patches, bumper stickers and other sundries. “I was the youngest entrepreneur in Montserrat,” Jerry says. “Before Arrow, before Johnny Mecca, there was J.J.”

“I would make over a thousand dollars on a Saturday, and that night I would go to Errol Eid’s Disco. By the time I left I wouldn’t have a dime in my pocket.”

His business took off. When his stock ran low, Jerry would fly to Puerto Rico, shop for clothing and other items, and return to Montserrat – something that would seem unfathomable today for a 16-year-old. “I would get back from Puerto Rico on a Thursday, go on Radio Montserrat on Friday and announce a sale, and on Saturday I would sell off every item I brought back from Puerto Rico.”

But as soon as the money would come in, it would disappear. “I had no money management skills,” he says. “I would make over a thousand dollars on a Saturday, and that night I would go to Errol Eid’s Disco. I would walk in and say, ‘Give everybody over there a drink!’ By the time I left I wouldn’t have a dime in my pocket. It’s a shame when I think about it now.”

THE PUERTO RICO YEARS

By 1973, Jerry was still enjoying retail success. But he was itching for another challenge. Fate intervened in a cruel way. A water overflow caused damage to the store directly below Jerry’s shop, and he was blamed. The proprietor asked him to pay $700. “Back then $700 was like $7,000,” Jerry says. He made a partial payment, but the trouble hastened his decision to leave Montserrat. He went to St. Kitts for a few weeks, then St. Thomas. Immigration officers in the U.S. Virgin Islands would seek out visitors who overstayed their allotted time, so when Jerry felt like they were closing in, he moved on to Puerto Rico. When he arrived in San Juan he had $10 to his name. He immediately started looking for work. He shacked up with a family friend for a while but was eventually kicked out after he was accused of being untidy. For three months, Jerry was homeless. He slept on top of cars. He even slept in a tree. But he was a survivor. He noticed that sailors would bathe at showers that were set up near the docks when they came in from sea. So he pretended to be a sailor and starting bathing there as well.

*Jerry Jarvis is pictured during his time living in Puerto Rico from 1973 to ’76, when he became the most popular club disc jockey on the island.*

Jerry eventually got a job doing maintenance work at a nightclub called Sonny Goodstreet. The manager allowed him to stay in a storage room on the second floor and provided him with two meals a day. No rent, but no salary either. He earned his keep by cleaning the club. One day a huge opportunity surfaced. “The boss came to me and said, ‘Listen, the club is doing bad. I’m gonna fire everybody — the doorman, the bartender, the DJ. Do you think you can be a DJ?’ ”

Jerry didn’t hesitate. He ran to the DJ booth and familiarized himself with the turntables, amplifier and mixer. “Nobody had to teach me anything. I learned on my own. I started practicing all day long.”

Jerry asked the boss for money to buy new records. He purchased music by the hottest artists at the time: James Brown, The O’Jays, Barry White, Kool & The Gang. Disco, Soul, R&B and Funk ruled the day, and Jerry was spinning some serious vinyl. He also educated himself in merengue and salsa music in order to further appeal to the locals. In little time Jerry transformed the moribund club into a top hangout. He had a knack for keeping a crowd on the dance floor with his musical selections and deft mixing. He eventually lost that job, then went to work for a rival club, Rasheed’s, after beating several others in a DJ contest to win the job. He soon turned that club into a hot spot as well. But the clientele began to get sordid. Pimps and prostitutes were prevalent. Ironically, though, it was one of those pimps who gave Jerry some sage advice. “He said to me, ‘You’re too talented to be in such a small place. Why don’t you go to Miami and look up Big Daddy’s?’ “

Big Daddy’s was a popular chain in the 1970s that featured a liquor store on one side and a lounge/nightclub on the other. At its peak, Big Daddy’s had more than 100 locations around the United States. Later on, the franchise changed its format, dropped the lounge and liquor stores, and today is known as Flanigan’s Seafood Bar and Grill.

NEXT STOP: MIAMI

Jerry worked at Rasheed’s for more than two years. He had become the most popular club DJ in Puerto Rico. But in 1976, he decided to make a move. Most of his friends told him to head to New York. Jerry had a sister who lived in Miami, so he relocated there.

“I got off the plane in Miami at 1:30 p.m.,” Jerry says. “By 2 p.m. I was looking for work. I didn’t get a job for three months. I went to Big Daddy’s and they said they had no openings right now.” However, Big Daddy’s later contacted him with some good news: They had an opening for a DJ, but there was a catch. They had three candidates. They wanted to audition each one to determine the winner.

Jerry won easily.

“Big Daddy’s was where I blossomed,” Jerry says. “The people and the atmosphere brought me alive. I had dance contests, a Gong Show, a Brick House contest [named for the popular Commodores song]. I became such a force that I was known all over Miami.”

By this time Jerry had shed his Montserrat dialect and adopted a Yankee twang. He was knee-deep into his DJ persona and needed to stay in character. “I was into the Yankee talk so much that when I went back to Montserrat in 1982, I had to teach myself how to talk like a Montserratian again. I had to learn to say ‘Tek um up’ and ‘Put um dung’ because I knew if I went back there with the Yankee talk they would get upset at me.”

*Jerry Jarvis is shown with the Godfather of Soul James Brown*.

A MUSICAL JUGGERNAUT

Jerry was having tremendous success as a club DJ. He turned Big Daddy’s into one of Miami’s top party spots. He was sought after for weddings and parties. But he was not content. He and the other black DJs in town had to purchase their records by the same method as the general public: in a record store. Jerry found out that there was a local record distributor who worked as a liaison for the top music labels in the country. His name was Bo Crane. The big record companies such as CBS, Atlantic, Arista and RCA would send promotional copies to Crane. But Crane, who was white, would cater mostly to the white DJs. Jerry initially struck a deal with Crane. For a fee of $40 a month, Jerry got promotional records each week from Crane.

However, Jerry saw an opportunity to cut out the middle man and carve his own niche. He decided to start his own “record pool” that would cater to the black DJs. He called it the “Florida Black Record Pool” and rented an office in the back of a record store in North Miami. He wrote to all the top record companies and made his pitch. The companies began sending him albums by the hundreds. Jerry had an entire room in his home with records, thousands of them. He had so many that he gave away many to friends. Each record had a stamp: “Promotional Copy – Not For Sale.” He also began publishing a newsletter: The Jerry Jarvis Powerhouse Report. It contained interviews with top music artists, album reviews, a countdown chart and more. The record companies would purchase ads in the newsletter. The revenue from those ads became a lucrative source of income for Jerry.

Jerry was riding high. When top artists such as James Brown, Rick James, Barry White and others came to South Florida for a concert, Jerry always had a backstage pass. He would get a heads-up from the record companies informing him that a particular artist was coming to town and that he should interview them for his publication. The record companies jumped at any chance to promote their artists, and Jerry’s Powerhouse Report was a vital vehicle.

*Jerry Jarvis meets reggae legend Bob Marley during a music convention in Atlanta in 1979.*

Jerry was also invited to attend music conventions – in New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles. It was at these conventions that he rubbed elbows with music legends. “Barry White, Stevie Wonder and Rick James were cool,” he says. “James Brown was cool but very boasting. The one who had the biggest impact on me was Bob Marley. He was very low-key. You couldn’t spot an ego bone in him.”

Jerry met Marley during a convention at the Peachtree Hotel in Atlanta in 1979. He asked to take a photo with the reggae icon and Marley complied. He then asked Marley for an interview. Marley told Jerry he has a home in Miami and that he could set up an appointment. Jerry visited Marley’s home. “We had a good interview but Marley got upset with me because I kept pressing him about whether it’s OK for a man to have more than one wife, in accordance with the Rastafarian religion. I knew he had a lot of women. He got aggravated with me.”

Despite the uncomfortable exchange, Jerry says Marley had a profound impact on his life. As a matter of fact, Jerry didn’t comb his hair for three years and eventually became a Rasta.

Jerry had grown up in the Methodist church in Montserrat, and throughout his adult life he had been staunchly black-conscious. “I was always searching for truth,” he says. A friend from St. Lucia introduced him to a book called Truth Hiding in the Wilderness. Jerry read it and was blown away. He began reading more and more books. He would spend all his free time at the library. In his quest for edification, Jerry evolved spiritually. Then his best friend, fellow DJ Abraham “Tiny Head” Dupree, got saved and told Jerry to do the same. That was followed by the life-changing evening when Jerry saw the Bible while jogging.

But another divine calling would follow.

A CHANCE MEETING

Jerry was playing a guitar one day while sitting in the back room of his apartment. He often kept his back door open, a practice that reminded him of life in Montserrat. As he strummed, he sang his favorite hymn, How Great Thou Art. Suddenly, a man showed up at Jerry’s door and told him he enjoyed the music. “Come on in,” Jerry told the stranger. “I’m praising the Lord.” The man entered. He explained that he was a Christian and that he was visiting from Jamaica and staying in the apartment upstairs. “After he left, I started speaking in a language I couldn’t understand,” Jerry says. Stunned, Jerry ran upstairs to share the news with the man. “He said to me, ‘Brother, you were speaking in tongues. That’s the Holy Ghost. You need to get to a church.’ “

*Jerry Jarvis has had a show on Radio Montserrat for the past 30 years. It currently airs on Sunday afternoons.*

At the man’s behest, Jerry visited a local Apostolic Pentecostal Church. “The first time I went to the church I spoke in tongues for more than an hour,” Jerry says. “The preacher told me I need to get baptized.”

Jerry followed through and got saved. It was early 1988. Jerry was still running his “Florida Black Record Pool” and still heavily involved in the music scene. But he had found a more important calling. He abruptly quit the business even though it was his main source of income. He decided that he could no longer promote secular music – much of which had suggestive lyrics. Between 1988 and 1991, Jerry was virtually destitute and often hungry. But he had found a spiritual fulfillment. “I struggled [financially], and at times I wondered if I made a mistake giving up my business,” Jerry says. “I lost my car, I lost my home.”

But in 1992, Jerry says the Lord spoke to him and told him to start a landscaping business. It has been his livelihood ever since.

TRUE REDEMPTION

Since his conversion, Jerry has become an ordained evangelist with his own ministry. He travels around the world spreading the gospel and organizing concerts. He has preached across Florida, in Boston, New York, London, Birmingham, Antigua and, of course, Montserrat. He has preached at jails, hospitals and on the streets. He has a show on Radio Montserrat that is aired on Sunday afternoons. Over the years he has even mended some old fences, such as finally fully repaying the proprietor in Montserrat whose business was damaged by water.

One of his proudest achievements is his work to help seniors in Montserrat. For 16 years he has shipped wheelchairs, walkers, beds and other items to assist the elderly. Not just the ones in old-age homes. But anyone in need. “God told me to take care of Montserrat’s seniors,” he says. He also has an awards show every two years to honor those who help the old people.

Through his ups and downs, he didn’t forsake Miss Alice, the lady he grew up calling Mom. He supported her until she passed away in 1997 at age 72. Although he was raised by Miss Alice, he always maintained a relationship with his biological mother, Abigale Jarvis-Silcott, who is currently 96 years old and lives in Connecticut.

On a personal level, the man who once juggled 19 girlfriends says he has been celibate since 1985. He was briefly married while in Puerto Rico. Jerry says that according to his understanding of the scriptures, a person can marry only once. When someone takes an oath of “Til death do us part,” they should stick to that promise, he says. Jerry says the only woman he can ever be with again is the one he married – and later divorced. But it’s not clear if the feeling is mutual.

Jerry Jarvis has lived in the valley … and on the mountaintop. He has shared his story of redemption multiple times. He talks openly about his mistakes and regrets. Today, his main objective is to help as many people as he can find salvation. Although he is close to retirement age, he’s not slowing down. There’s too much work left to do.

The man who specializes in landscaping is out of the Wilderness.

If you wish to contribute to Jerry Jarvis’ ministry, he can be reached by mail at Prayer Life Ministries, P.O. Box 541181, Opa-locka, Florida, 33054, or at jerryjarvis98@gmail.com.

Jeweline Roberts-Riley has unmatched history of pageantry and success

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EDWIN L. MARTIN

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February 17, 2019

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JewelFix — "I love when an idea pops into my head and then I turn that idea into something tangible and spectacular," says Jeweline Roberts-Riley, shown circa 1980s.

From an early age, it was apparent that Jeweline Roberts-Riley was destined for a career in design. At 8, she was already sketching ideas for outfits. Her mom was a seamstress. While Mae Belle Roberts stitched dresses and other garments on her sewing machine, little Jeweline watched closely. She would also secure the scraps of fabric that fell to the floor and use them to design dresses for her doll.

One day while her mom was sewing a dress, a piece of fabric fell. Jeweline assumed it was another unwanted swath of cloth that was probably headed for the rubbish bin. So she grabbed a pair of scissors, sliced the fabric, and created another outfit for her doll. It turns out that the cloth she cut was actually a sleeve and a collar for a dress her mom was making for a customer.

“My mom was very upset. She said to me, ‘What am I going to do now? Don’t do that again. From now on ask me first before you cut anything.’ ”

Despite the mild scolding, her mother encouraged Jeweline’s love of design, fashion and creativity. It was the catalyst for a sterling career of creation that has been a labor of love.

Montserrat Festival has been an official event since 1962. It has produced award-winning calypsonians, a soca legend, regional queens and memorable masqueraders and revelers. Jeweline Roberts-Riley, working mostly behind the scenes and without much fanfare, has arguably had the biggest influence in the history of Montserrat’s Festival. Her roles have included pageant promoter, chaperone, costume designer, dance-group coordinator, dancer, dressmaker, troupe leader, fundraiser and consultant.

*Jeweline Roberts-Riley plays mas with her troupe in the Montserrat Festival parade Jan. 1, 2019.*

In the 1960s while at the Montserrat Secondary School, Jeweline, who hails from Kinsale Village, was a member of the Carnival Joy Promoters. Her early colleagues included Rose Willock, Joyce Gomez, Marjorie Riley, Jim Taylor, Norma Dyer and Vercil Edwards. On Boxing Day in 1963, the Joy Promoters unveiled a Hawaiian theme for Festival Day. They sported Hula-inspired skirts, Aloha tops, Hawaiian leis and ukuleles. They procured pieces of rope, loosened them, dyed them black and created wigs.

Half a century later, Jeweline says that presentation remains vivid because of its creativity and effect. A few years later, while still a teen herself, Jeweline organized the first teen pageant in Montserrat. She recruited fellow students to participate, including Sonia Meade and Carolie Perkins, who would go on to win Miss Montserrat in 1972. The teen pageant became a vital platform that groomed contestants for the main Festival queen show.

In 1976, Jeweline chaperoned a Festival Queen contestant for the first time and designed her evening gown. Her client was fellow Kinsale native Catherine Ryan, who went on to win the crown. The following year, Jeweline co-chaperoned Patricia “Baby Sister” Bryan of George Street and designed her dress. Bryan also captured the Miss Montserrat title. Although she had not had any formal training in dressmaking at that time, Jeweline was now on a roll. Three more victories quickly followed: Rose Silcott (1978), Glendena Taylor (1979) and Diane Daniels (1980). Jeweline was in high demand. So she had to adopt a system of fairness.

“I always did it on a first-come, first-serve basis,” she says. “I didn’t play favorites. If a second girl came to me and wanted me to make a dress, I would always ask the first girl if she’s OK with it.” Asked her secret to success in dressmaking, Jeweline said: “I try to give the girls something that enhances their attributes. I always tell people that the dress doesn’t make you win. It’s you. Someone could go on stage with a bag on and still win.”

*Jeweline Roberts-Riley is interviewed by Radio Montserrat in 2016 about her Order of Distinction award.*

Despite her heavy involvement in Festival and other activities, Jeweline still had a regular job. After leaving school, she worked at the post office in Plymouth, and later at the Philatelic Bureau.

In 1985 she moved to New York and attended the Fashion Institute of Technology of the State University of New York, graduating with honors in 1991. She has come a long way from the days when she cobbled scraps of fabric to make dresses for her doll, but her love of design remains strong. She continues to return to Montserrat and promote her festival troupe. Over the years, the original Carnival Joy Promoters evolved to become the Titans Mas Movement, then Bijou Productions.

“I used to dream about [an idea] for a troupe,” she says. “Then I would wake up and start to sketch. I love when an idea pops into my head and then I turn that idea into something tangible and spectacular. I love the whole process.”

Though she has never been motivated by accolades, Jeweline was humbled when she was awarded an Order of Distinction medal at the 2016 Montserrat National Awards for her contribution to Festival. She was honored alongside other luminaries such as D.R.V. Frank Edwards, Austin Bramble and Cedric Osborne. It was an honor to be recognized by her country. And needless to say, she wears the title very well, thank you.

“I feel very lucky,” Jeweline says. “Because I was given an award for something I really love doing.”

Somewhere, her mom is smiling.

Jeweline Roberts-Riley designed evening gowns for 15 queen show winners in Montserrat:

Catherine Ryan (1976)	Mary Ann Gerald (1982)	Jasmine Jno-Baptiste (2004)
Patricia Bryan (1977)	Daphne Christopher (1983)	Janelle Weekes (2005)
Rose Silcott (1978)	Estelle Furlonge (2000)	Techar Cuffy (2006)
Glendena Taylor (1979)	Maudella Daley (2002)	Naseeka Carty (2007)
Diane Daniels (1980)	Francelise White (2003)	Sharissa Ryan (2014)

Dr. George Irish, an icon in Montserrat history, dies at 76

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EDWIN L. MARTIN

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February 12, 2019

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drirish — Photo credit: Facebook profile
Dr. George Irish is pictured at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn in 2016.

Dr. George Irish, a cultural giant in Montserrat history who was a scholar, professor, trade unionist, musician, politician and author, among other titles, passed away Tuesday in New York. He was 76 years old.

A cause of death was not immediately known but a close friend said Irish was hospitalized in December with a serious illness.

Irish, who once said music was the love of his life, formed the Emerald Community Singers in 1971 and watched the choral group rise to international acclaim.

Irish was born in Baker Hill and grew up in Cudjoe Head. He attended the St. Peter’s Anglican Church and, although the Cavalla Hill Primary School was closer to his home, he attended the St. Peter’s Parish School. “That’s how loyal people were to their church,” he said during an interview with My Montserrat in 2012.

As a young boy his family moved to Plymouth and then to Fort Barrington. Irish said he got involved in as many social activities as he could when he was a teenager, especially anything involving music. “I played the guitar, ukulele, accordion and the piano,” he said. “I was never bored.”

After graduating from the Montserrat Secondary School, Irish was the recipient of the Montserrat Island Scholarship and went to study at the University of the West Indies in Mona, Jamaica. He earned a degree in Modern Languages in 1965. After returning to Montserrat for a few months, he got a scholarship from UWI to return and earn his doctorate. He then stayed on and became part of the faculty as chair of the Spanish department. “I ended up spending 16 years in Jamaica,” he told My Montserrat.

When he returned to Montserrat, he contacted some former MSS classmates and formed the Emerald Community Singers on September 15, 1971. The group practiced for three months and held its first Christmas concert that December at the Shamrock Theatre in Plymouth. Some of those early members included Vera Roach (Ryan), Veronica Hickson, Edith Bellot Allen, Dorothy Greenaway and Dr. Vernon Buffonge.

*Dr. George Irish is shown with daughter Ayanna, a talented singer.*

In 1972, Irish founded the Alliouagana Festival. He later founded the Montserrat Allied Workers’ Union and also delved into local politics, with mixed results. In 1982, he established the Montserrat Cooperative Credit Union.

After his party suffered a big defeat in the 1983 elections, Irish relocated to the United States and became director of the Caribbean Research Centre at the Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York. In 2014 he was appointed Dean of the Liberal Arts program at Medgar Evers. He has published more than 30 books and booklets.

Irish is the father of up-and-coming singer Ayanna Irish.

Condolences and tributes poured in on social media Tuesday after news of Irish’s passing, including a poem from his old friend Sir Howard Fergus, who wrote in part:

If I am allowed a meaningful cliche,

Dr Irish was a colossus, worthy of our tears;

His music and the music of his life,

Will resonate endless years.

‘Iceman’ needs financial assistance as he continues fight to save eyesight

By

EDWIN L. MARTIN

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February 12, 2019

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The past five months have been an ordeal for Montserrat calypsonian and family man Steve Weekes, better known as Iceman. He tried to keep his struggles a secret because he didn’t want to be judged. But then it came to a point where he had to go public about his plight.

Weekes is blind in his right eye. The left eye is functioning at about 50 percent. So on the morning of Monday, January 7, 2019, an emotional Weekes phoned in to Basil Chambers’ show on Radio Montserrat to plead for help. He is currently in Canada getting treatment. He has undergone four laser surgeries but needs another procedure. His funds have dried up due to costs he didn’t expect, such as purchasing winter clothes to deal with the frigid Great White North.

“I need to come up with about $2,900 Canadian by Wednesday in order to pay up front for the lens I need for my left eye,” said Weekes, who won the Festival calypso crown in 2015.

The odyssey of Weekes’ eye troubles began in 2013. Weekes, who operates heavy equipment for Montserrat Public Works, was struck in the right eye one day when a low-hanging tree branch clipped the top of the roller he was driving and snapped back into his eye. Before that accident, Weekes had 20/20 vision.

Ever since, Weekes has endured government bureaucracy, legal setbacks, inconsistent diagnoses from eye specialists and financial hardships.

First he traveled to St. Kitts to visit a Cuban surgeon after the sight in his right eye began to fade. “I had surgery but over time the stitches in the eye that keep the lens in place got loose,” he said. “Over time the eye went back dark.”

Weekes visited Antigua-based eye specialist Dr. Ian Walwyn, who often visits Montserrat, which does not have a permanent eye specialist.

Last September, Weekes’ left eye, which had not been giving problems, started going dark. He tried to fight through it. “I tried to stay strong,” he said. “It’s a small country. If one person knows, the whole country knows.”

Walwyn examined him and told him there are some veins behind the left eye that are likely bleeding and would need surgery. Weekes visited two more eye specialists in Antigua. They both told him he has cataracts. Neither mentioned bleeding behind his eye.

“I’ve been to the Premier, the minister of health. If you go to the ministers and can’t get help, where else can you turn?”

Weekes was in a quandary. He sought the help of social services but was told that because he’s a civil servant he’s only eligible for a medical advance . . . which must be repaid. He personally visited government ministers to request help. One suggested he go to England but warned that he might have to wait six months to get treatment. Another suggested Cuba, but that also never came to fruition.

As his sight worsened, simple tasks such as driving became a chore.

“People would blow their horns at me telling me to get out of the middle of the road,” he said. “It seemed like my eyesight was seven hours ahead. When it was noon, it looked like it was night time. But I had to drive. I had no choice because I had to drop my son to school. Thank God I never got into any accidents or hit anyone.”

His challenges increased during the calypso competition in December. “I couldn’t even read my own lyrics on the paper,” he said. “I actually bussed [forgot my lyrics] during the semifinals but I still passed to the finals.”

Weekes said he struggled when he was performing on stage but tried his best to hide it. “I didn’t take hardly any props on stage because I was afraid I would trip over them.”

Weekes finished 5^th in the finals. His signature song was Renew My Faith, an ironic title because he has had to expend every ounce of his faith during this trying time.

In early January, he couldn’t take it anymore. So he made the phone call to Radio Montserrat to share his story. “I had to do it,” he said. “I’ve been to the Premier, the minister of health. If you go to the ministers and can’t get help, where else can you turn?”

Weekes’ call to Radio Montserrat did get the attention of the government. Social services agreed to help him. They were told he needed $10,000 Canadian for the surgeries. They gave him a one-off grant of E.C. $15,000. But once that was exchanged to Canadian currency, there was still a $3,000 shortfall.

Weekes’ cousin in New York contacted a friend in Canada and made arrangements for Weekes to see a specialist there.

Upon arriving last month and visiting the specialist, he found out that the retina in his right eye has been completely detached and that the damage is irreversible. However he has undergone four laser surgeries to burn off bleeding veins in the left eye. He needs one more surgery on March 4 to remove a cataract and replace it with an artificial lens. He has to pay $2,900 (about U.S. $2,200) by Wednesday, Feb. 13, for the custom-made lens. Because he’s not a Canadian citizen, he has to pay for his treatments up front.

Making matters worse, a city bus in which Weekes was a passenger was involved in an accident on Feb. 1. Weekes damaged his wrist but couldn’t afford to take an X-ray.

Despite everything, Weekes sees a silver lining.

“A good calypso must come out of all of this.”

If you wish to assist, Steve Weekes can be reached via What’s App at (664) 392-4417.

Promoter explains why Ky-Mani Marley was no-show at Maui concert

By

Montserrat Spotlight Staff

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February 11, 2019

0

victorphoto — Victor E. Lewis, left, and reggae artist Ky-Mani Marley appear in a video on Monday via Marley's Facebook page.

The events that led to reggae star Ky-Mani Marley being a no-show at a concert late Saturday in Maui, Hawaii, revolved around greed and possible miscommunication, according to the show’s main promoter.

Thomas “T-Flatz” Fevella — a musician who played at the event dubbed the “Bob Bash” — said Marley’s manager, Victor E. Lewis of Montserrat, asked for an extra $7,000 just hours before Marley was to headline the show at the Lahaina Civic Center, which holds about 2,500 people.

Lewis, who manages Marley through his VicRae company, appeared with Marley in an awkward video early Monday in which he accepted blame for the entire incident. Lewis appeared to be dour and beleaguered during the six-minute video, which quickly went viral on social media.

T-Flatz says he and his partners spent about $30,000 to get Marley to Hawaii. This includes airfare, hotels, transfers and the performing fee for concerts in Maui on Saturday night and Honolulu the day before. Marley also performed in Kona, but T-Flatz says that was handled by a different promoter.

“I had just completed my set [Saturday night],” T-Flatz said, “so I asked Victor where Ky-Mani is. He said Ky-Mani is still at the hotel. I think Victor tried to extort us. I think he saw the money we were collecting and wanted more. I told him I didn’t have $7,000. Besides, most of our [up-front costs] were done through credit cards. I even showed him the receipts.”

T-Flatz said he’s not sure if Marley knew about the $7,000 that Lewis was requesting. Marley said during the video that Lewis misled him by saying he never received a deposit. T-Flatz said the deposit was already factored into the package deal.

“I prefer dealing with Victor because to be honest Ky-Mani is a little intimidating,” T-Flatz said. “But perhaps I should have dealt with Ky-Mani directly.”

Many fans were chanting Ky-Mani’s name and were stunned when they found out he wouldn’t appear, T-Flatz said. Many asked for refunds, which created a nightmare for the promoter because some tickets were purchased through third parties.

As a consolation, Marley performed a free concert to a standing-room only crowd at Tantes Restaurant in Maui on Sunday night. T-Flatz says Marley vowed to “make this right” before he departed Monday. He promised to return in the future to perform a concert.

T-Flatz says he and his partners will take a financial hit but he holds no ill will against Lewis. “It’s all about love,” he said. “I just want to make it right.”

Lewis did not respond to a request for comment.

Montserrat’s Victor E. Lewis appears in tense video with Ky-Mani Marley to address Maui concert no-show

By

Montserrat Spotlight Staff

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February 11, 2019

0

Artist manager Victor E. Lewis, a native of Montserrat, appeared in a 6-minute video Monday along with international recording artist Ky-Mani Marley in order to address Marley’s no-show at a concert late Saturday in Maui, Hawaii.

During the tense and sometimes awkward video that appeared on Marley’s Facebook page, Lewis accepted responsibility for Marley’s absence at the concert — dubbed “Bob Bash” — and admitted he received a deposit from the promoter but told Marley otherwise.

“Unfortunately, I was misled to believe that I was not paid by the promoter by Mr. Victor Lewis here,” Marley said during the video. He then turned to Lewis and asked him to explain.

“We did receive the amount that was to cover the cost of Ky-Mani’s performance,” said an obviously beleaguered Lewis, who was quickly interrupted by Marley, who said, “Not we, not we.”

Marley, son of music legend Bob Marley, performed in two other shows in the islands earlier in the week, in Kona and the capital Honolulu.

“I apologize to Ky-mani for putting him in this position,” added Lewis. “There’s no excuses. I apologize to the people of Maui … and most importantly Ky-Mani Marley for spoiling his reputation and putting him on the spot and in an awkward predicament.”

At one point, a seemingly exasperated and angry Marley turned to Lewis and said: “You have to apologize to all of the people in Maui who took their time and brought their children to this family event.”

The online publication Maui Now wrote an article on the incident, drawing many angry comments from local fans.

Bob Marley-themed concerts are held each February around the world in celebration of the music icon’s birthday (born February 6, 1945).

Lewis is a former architectural student who transitioned to the entertainment business. He is the CEO and Managing Director of VicRae Inc., a platform that handles artist management, music publishing, media production and even fashion. The company’s client list includes mostly reggae artists.

Attempts to reach Lewis for a comment were unsuccessful.

Jim Allen batting highlights

By

EDWIN L. MARTIN

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February 9, 2019

1

Mighty Warrior & Young Warrior

By

EDWIN L. MARTIN

-

February 9, 2019

0

Montserrat’s talented Stevel Rodney gives new meaning to ‘calypso cricket’

By

EDWIN L. MARTIN

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February 9, 2019

0

stevelpics — Photo credits: Leeward Islands cricket and Discover Montserrat.
Stevel Rodney is shown at left after being selected to the Leeward Islands under-19 team last July, and at right competing in the Montserrat calypso finals on December 30, 2018.

The term “calypso cricket” has long been used to describe the exciting form of the game that is played in the Caribbean. It’s an entertaining, aggressive approach that catapulted the likes of Garry Sobers, Viv Richards, Brian Lara and even Montserrat’s Jim Allen to international stardom.

For Stevel Rodney, “calypso cricket” takes on more of a literal meaning. That’s because he’s actually a cricketer and a calypsonian. He loves both, takes both seriously and admits he doesn’t take disappointments well. At the tender age of 18, his level of participation at the local level has been remarkable.

In cricket, he has represented Montserrat at every level of youth cricket: under-13, under-15, under-17 and under-19. Last summer, the Leeward Islands Youth Cricket Tournament was held in Montserrat. Stevel, a middle order batsman and spin bowler, excelled and was selected to the under-19 Leeward Islands team. That squad competed in the West Indies under-19 tournament in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, but Stevel was limited by a back injury.

Stevel, who grew up in Judy Piece, first became interested in cricket while in primary school. His first idol was Lionel Baker, the former fast bowler who is the only cricketer from Montserrat to play in a Test match for the West Indies team.

“I use to see him running through our village and that inspired me,” said Stevel, who says Baker is one of his mentors today. “We sit down and talk and he tells me what I have to do to reach the next level.”

As far as calypso, Stevel made his debut in 2011 during the Junior Calypso competition held annually as part of St. Patrick’s week. He entered again in 2012 and 2013, then made the leap to the senior calypso show in 2014 at age 14 (he’s believed to be the youngest entrant ever). He reached the semifinals that year and also competed in the Soca Monarch show. In 2015 he reached the calypso finals and finished eighth. He skipped 2016 and 2017, then returned in 2018, finishing eighth again in the finals.

“What I really like about calypso is the fact that I can give my opinion about things happening around me,” says Stevel, who often tells his writers the topic he’d like to sing about. “Calypso really helps build your confidence.”

*Stevel Rodney is flanked by younger brother Seigel*
*and mom Ausdelle Johnson*.

Stevel, who graduated from the Montserrat Secondary School in 2017 and now works as a clerical officer at Inland Revenue, is not afraid to step on toes. One of his songs from this past festival, The Life of a T.C., details some incidents that have occurred within the government that Stevel deems to be unfair. Stevel won two ancillary awards during the 2018 calypso finals: Most Improved, and the William “Ruler” Murrain Crowd Favorite, which is determined by crowd applause.

Cecil “Cepeke” Lake, leader of the Black Rhythms band that plays for the calypso competition, has written calypso songs for Stevel over the years.

“He’s a very brave kid,” Lake says. “It wouldn’t surprise me if he wins the crown one day. I also admire his desire to contribute to the development of Montserrat, whether in calypso or cricket. I wish more young people were like that.”

Stevel’s foray into the calypso genre is not surprising. He comes from a family of performers, especially in calypso. His grandmother, Rosalie “Tanty” Johnson, sang calypso and soca during the 1980s. His grand uncles Owen “Drago” Johnson and Roland “Kenzie” Johnson” are etched in Montserrat Festival history – Drago as a former Road March champion and Kenzie as a three-time calypso monarch. Stevel’s cousin,
Garvin “Scrappy” Johnson, is a multiple Soca Monarch and Road March winner in Montserrat and is an international performing artist.

In the 2000s, Stevel’s mom, Ausdelle Johnson, competed in the main Calypso and Female Calypso competitions and also during the Police and Fire Week calypso competition.

“I saw the potential in him for the calypso very early,” Ausdelle says of Stevel. “One year I competed in the Police calypso show. Stevel was about 2 years old at the time. After I won, he came on stage, took the mic and started singing the song I had just won with.”

So Stevel’s entrance into the calypso arena was almost a rite of passage. However, if he were forced to pick calypso or cricket, he would definitely choose cricket. “My next goal is to make the West Indies under-19 team,” he says. “There are definitely some things I need to improve like my strength. I also need to consolidate my innings when I’m batting.”

Stevel, who has had a serious growth spurt in recent years and now stands 6-foot-3, also played basketball with the Montserrat Secondary School Warriors while in school and competed in local tournaments. He played small forward, point guard and shooting guard. By the way, he also excels at table tennis and soccer.

Ausdelle knows Stevel is ambitious and determined, and she’s proud of what he has accomplished. But one of her challenges has been getting him to temper his expectations. “He likes to win, and if he doesn’t win he will keep going until he wins,” Ausdelle says. “But I told him that sometimes it’s just not your time yet.”

You can’t blame Stevel though. With his talents it’s fair to say he’s ahead of his time.

Montserratian’s new app could be a major boost for live music scene in Caribbean

By

EDWIN L. MARTIN

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February 9, 2019

0

Contract Signing — Linda Dias, the chief architect for the Government of Montserrat, has launched a new app that could be a welcome convenience for the music industry. "There's still a lot of work to do," she said. "But I'm proud and excited."

It is often said that necessity is the mother of invention. Well, there’s a new exciting app on the market — and it is the brainchild of a Montserratian.

As the girlfriend of a musician, Linda Dias knows about the challenges of the music industry, from networking to logistical. With the launch of her mobile app company, Bodio Inc., she has created a one-stop platform that will streamline information for musicians, promoters and fans alike.

Dias, who grew up in Richmond Hill, already has an important day job: She is the chief architect for the Government of Montserrat. But she took on the personal challenge of creating the app, which she believed would bring much-needed convenience to the live music scene.

After coming up with the idea, she entered the i2LPitch competition held November 22, 2018, at the Montserrat Cultural Centre. Dias was voted winner of the Senior Category, but she admits that at the time the app was still very much a concept. The actual development would be much more difficult to navigate.

First, she had to change the name of the app. It began as Gig-a-Bite, but Dias found out that name was already registered in the United Kingdom. After much consternation, she came up with the name Bodio (Booking Directory Online). But another challenge awaited.

“How do I get out a beta tester without having to go to an app developing company that will probably charge about U.S. $20,000 to get off the ground?” Dias asked herself.

But the resourceful Dias was able to find an alternative — and less expensive — solution. She has also been the beneficiary of sound advice.

*A screen shot of the new Bodio app is shown above.*

Dias’ boyfriend, Chris Goodridge, plays rhythm guitar with the Barbados-based band 13/59. He has been instrumental in suggesting ideas for the app. Dias’ father, Buell Bart — a musician who lives in Antigua and goes by the name “Strings That Sing” — has also provided feedback. “Sometimes he calls me like 20 times in a day,” Dias says chuckling.

Among some of the benefits of the app, which is free:

*The app’s BoDirectory provides a registry of bands, musicians, DJ’s, lyricists, producers, event promoters and venues to make it easy for talent bookings. “Let’s say a band has a gig and their bass guitar player is sick,” Dias explains. “They can go on the app, check and see which [bass guitarists] are closest to you.”

*Bodio Connect, a feature of the app, is a social networking medium for musicians to create professional relationships, exchange ideas with others in the entertainment and hospitality industries, and market themselves.

*Users can browse through Bodio News, a one-stop shop for global updates in the entertainment world. Fans can follow their favorite artists and venues to learn what’s scheduled and who’s performing.

With the app still in the beta phase, Dias plans to gauge feedback and ultimately make improvements to the app. “I hope one day to expand it to actors and others in the entertainment industry,” Dias says.

Although the process has been tiring, Dias is proud of what she has accomplished in such a short time. She spent most of December and January “working overtime” to prepare the app for launching.

“There’s still a lot of work to do,” she said. “But I’m definitely excited.”

Note: The free beta version of the app is available on iOS and Android platforms worldwide for direct download at www.bodioapp.com.

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