‘A brilliant human being’: Montserrat bids farewell to businessman and community stalwart Cedric Osborne

September 9, 2024

mrcedricphoto3 — Cedric Osborne, MBE, OBE, OD, at his home in Woodlands, Montserrat, on July 20, 2022.

Cedric Osborne was self-confident, self-assured and at times even self-deprecating. But he was never self-serving. He was equally blessed with a sense of community and a sense of humor. He inherited the mantle of the M.S. Osborne dynasty and forged his own legacy of business success, civic responsibility and unbridled generosity. In between he raised five children and embraced the role he said he would most like to be remembered for – a good husband.

Osborne, whose influence in Montserrat’s business and social sectors spanned seven decades, was remembered during a funeral service at the St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church in Lookout on Thursday, September 5, 2024. He died August 18 – three weeks following his 88^th birthday.

“He was a brilliant human being and a true icon,” said Rose Willock, a Montserrat broadcasting legend and former Festival Queen who worked with Osborne during his time with the Montserrat Jaycees and Montserrat Festival Committee. “He was extremely practical and people-focused.”

Although Osborne’s homegoing was not an official state funeral, it was adorned with reverence. Montserrat Governor Her Excellency Sarah Tucker, Premier Joseph Farrell and several other politicians attended. Radio Montserrat broadcast the service live, and several businesses closed for the day as a sign of respect, including M.S. Osborne Ltd., Montserrat Utilities Ltd., Montserrat Building Society and Montserrat National Trust – all companies with Osborne’s imprint.

Video screenshot
*Family members and friends celebrate the life of Cedric Osborne.*

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*Andrew Arthurton delivers the eulogy for Cedric Osborne.*

TRIBUTE TO A TITAN

The service began with a poignant but upbeat eulogy from Andrew Arthurton, Osborne’s “honorary” son.

“I must begin with a disclaimer,” he said. “Uncle Cedric is not my real uncle. But my family and the Osborne family have been connected for almost a century. My grandfather Jim Nanton worked at M.S. Osborne for 60 faithful years.”

Arthurton recalled his close relationship with Osborne, their humorous repartee and joke telling, and Osborne’s booming laugh and catchphrase, “Nutten tarl go so!” He also recounted Osborne’s extensive civic involvement and dedication as a family man. He shared a quote from Osborne’s children.

“As a dad he was a man of few words. He wasn’t one to provide life advice but rather communicated through action. Through example he taught us the value and importance of hard work, service to others, integrity, respect, and a good sense of humor.”

Other than the eulogy there were no spoken tributes during the service. As one family member explained: “If we did that, the service would never end.” Instead, tributes were included in the funeral booklet. There was also no interment as Osborne’s remains will be cremated and a private ceremony will be held at a later date.

Courtesy Osborne family
*M.S. Osborne and wife Sylvia with their children, from left, Cedric, Veda, Kathleen and Bertrand (Sonny), circa 1948.*

NATIVE SON

Cedric Rawnsley Osborne was the second of four children born to business mogul M.S. (Michael Symon) Osborne, a Montserratian, and his wife Sylvia Blanchard-Osborne, a native of Dominica. Cedric’s elder brother Bertrand also became a successful businessman and politician who served as Montserrat’s Chief Minister.

Cedric grew up on Town Hill, about a half-mile from the now-buried capital of Plymouth. Cedric and his siblings were home-schooled in their early years. He later attended the Prep School for Grammar School, which was located on Town Hill at the time, and the Montserrat Secondary School. During a 2022 interview Osborne admitted that he wasn’t the best student and said his mother would get upset because he struggled with spelling. Bertrand went on to study business in Canada, but Cedric did not leave the island for further education.

“I have no idea what the inside of a university looks like,” he once said with a smile. However, Cedric took courses in Architectural Drawing, his passion.

Cedric possessed common sense and business savvy. In 1954 at age 18 he was tapped by his father to take over as manager of Bata Shoe Store (M.S. Osborne Ltd. was the local agent). He understudied for a while with the outgoing manager, Moses “Brother” Tuitt – who migrated to England – then took charge.

*A classic postcard shows the Vue Pointe Hotel in the early years.*

FROM BATA TO VUE POINTE

Cedric managed Bata from 1955 until 1967, the year his father died suddenly while on duty at the Vue Pointe Hotel. Bertrand and Cedric assumed control of the Osborne companies, with Bertrand managing the operation in town and Cedric taking over at the Vue Pointe.

When the Vue Pointe was built in 1961 it coincided perfectly with Montserrat’s real estate boom. Property investors arrived from the United States, Canada and Britain, and many lodged at the Vue Pointe while conducting business. That helped to build the hotel’s clientele, and many of the guests became repeat customers.

Cedric implemented creative ideas that helped turn Vue Pointe into Montserrat’s marquee tourist hub. The 28 cottages already made Vue Pointe unique, and the hotel later added a secondary bar and restaurant near Old Road Bay called “The Nest.” Wednesday nights were barbeque night, and the entertainment was top-notch. Steel pan music became a staple and folk singer Ivan Browne was a resident figure.

“Cedric was the perfect host,” said John Wilson, a longtime Plymouth businessman and former government minister who knew Cedric since they were boys on Town Hill. “He didn’t have any formal training. It was just his natural character. He was very embracing and humorous, a real people’s man. Come to think of it, I don’t know how he never went into politics.”

Vue Pointe also became a prestigious place to work. Osborne employed hundreds of Montserratians during his tenure – many of them just out of school – and even allowed some to reside at the hotel. “That way we made sure they showed up to work on time,” he once said laughing. He arranged transportation for those who lived far from the hotel and also sponsored several workers to travel around the region for formal training in bartending and culinary arts.

Basil Morgan, Montserrat’s first international umpire, worked at Vue Pointe for eight years, starting in 1968. He said Osborne was a terrific boss who treated his employees well – even after they no longer worked at Vue Pointe.

“He was a true humanitarian,” Morgan said. “He loved people. I recall in 1972 I was playing for the Montserrat cricket team and he and Bertrand paid my way so I could attend a match in Barbados between West Indies and New Zealand. I got to see Garry Sobers hit a century.”

Incidentally, Cedric – who was a big cricket fan – was born on the exact day (July 28, 1936) as Sobers, widely considered the greatest cricketer of all time.

Courtesy Osborne family
*Cedric and Carol Osborne on their wedding day in 1972.*

“SHE HAS BEEN VERY GOOD TO ME”

In 1972, Osborne married Carol Hillberg Shea, a native of Massachusetts, USA, whom he met three years earlier. “She was visiting Montserrat and wanted to go to a Catholic church,” Cedric said during an interview. “That’s how we met.”

Cedric and Carol raised five children: Heidi, Michael, Amanda, Leona and Carl. Carol also became an integral partner in the operation of the Vue Pointe Hotel and M.S. Osborne Ltd.

During an interview in 2022, Cedric was asked if he could relive one day, which would it be. “The day I married Carol,” he said. “She has been very good to me.”

In later years when Cedric’s health began to deteriorate, Carol became his caretaker and protector. She said that despite his ailments he never lost his trademark humor.

In fact, humor has been a main component of Cedric’s life, and for many years he was the most sought-after MC in Montserrat. He hosted queen shows, church events, school concerts and much more. He was a consummate showman, often dressing in polyester suits and bright colors.

“It got to the point that when I went on stage people would start laughing before I even opened my mouth,” he once said.

His community service reads like a dream curriculum vitae: Member of Boy Scouts; president of Montserrat Jaycees; founding member and twice president of Montserrat Rotary Club (District 7030); chairman of Montserrat Building Society; Life Member and Board Member of Montserrat National Trust; director of Montserrat Electricity Services; member of Montserrat Chamber of Commerce. He was also a staunch member of the Catholic Church, Chairman of the church’s Finance and Building Committee and Eucharistic Minister for more than 30 years.

“I think my journey of volunteerism stems from my upbringing and my Christian background,” he once said.

Courtesy Osborne family
*Cedric Osborne, right, receives his O.B.E. from Montserrat Governor Adrian Davis in 2013.*

TRUE MONTSERRATIAN

A standing-room-only crowd of more than 300 packed the St. Patrick’s church to bid goodbye to Osborne. The mourners traveled from around the Caribbean, the United States and England. They included Osborne’s sister Kathleen and her family from Trinidad, his sister Veda’s family from St. Lucia, cousins from Dominica and Antigua, and longtime friends such as Pam and Percy Arthurton, who live in Antigua.

Osborne’s casket was draped with the Montserrat madras, and during the eulogy Arthurton revealed an interesting fact about Osborne’s fidelity to his home country.

“He never attained another passport other than a Montserrat passport, even though he married an American citizen and Auntie Carol was the U.S. Embassy representative in Montserrat,” he said.

The man who delivered a lifetime of service to Montserrat was reciprocated with a sterling homegoing service. For the final time, he hosted a captive audience. And just like his days as Master of Ceremonies there was applause, laughter and an abundance of love. Cedric Osborne, who once managed a luxury hotel, now resides in the Upper Room.

Famous employees

Prominent Montserratians who worked at Vue Pointe:

Reuben T. Meade, two-time Premier

Tappy Morgan, chef

Joseph "JD" Williams, chef, baker & caterer

Winston "Young Warrior" Christopher, calypso king

Basil Morgan, cricket umpire

Jerry Jarvis, evangelist

Ishmael "Cutter" Skerritt, calypso king

Wilston "Pickett" Johnson, businessman

Rhadyo (The Lost Interview: 2012)

EDWIN L. MARTIN

August 19, 2024

So long to the Swordman: Wallace “Rhadyo” Fenton, former Montserrat calypsonian and teacher, dies at 67

EDWIN L. MARTIN

August 17, 2024

rhadyo12mug — Rhadyo is pictured during an interview on August 29, 2012 in Davy Hill, Montserrat.

Wallace “Rhadyo” Fenton, who crafted a memorable career as a calypsonian and teacher before mental struggles derailed his journey, died Thursday, August 15, 2024. Rhadyo, 67, was found unresponsive in his one-bedroom apartment at the Warden Assisted living facility in Lookout, Montserrat.

“I saw some pictures of him recently and could tell he wasn’t well,” said elder brother Kenneth “Fisher” Fenton, who lives in London. “So I wasn’t shocked to hear that he passed away. But now that it’s happened I can’t accept it.”

Although Rhadyo never won the crown, he left an undeniable imprint on Montserrat calypso, notably with the classic song Swordman, released in 1979. It tells the story of a warrior who was “sent forth” as a protector of justice. The abstract narrative and sublime arrangement – accentuated by jabbing horns – have kept the song in the mainstream for four decades, with calypso experts and regular fans alike constantly debating about the song’s “true” meaning.

News of Rhadyo’s death elicited an outpouring of condolences on social media and stunned calypso enthusiasts, his former students, present and former residents of St. John’s Village and Montserratians at large. Kelvin “Tabu” Duberry, Rhadyo’s cousin and former protégé, received the news while in London working on a reggae album.

“I grew up watching him craft his lyrics,” Tabu said. “He is and will always be my teacher. He came to deliver a message. He came to educate, agitate but never violated.”

UNIQUE JOURNEY

James Wallace Fenton was born September 24, 1956 in London. Shortly before his 2nd birthday he was brought to Montserrat by his mother and grew up in St. John’s Village, just across from the venerable Anglican Church. It was there that his love of calypso blossomed. Two of his brothers – Fisher and John “Black Prince” O’Garro – sang calypso. His neighbors included Tabu, Montserrat’s calypso champion in 1991, and Kenneth “Rabo” Silcott, the 2017 monarch. Just down the street lived Everton “Reality” Weekes, a five-time Montserrat calypso champion.

“Rhadyo and I grew up together,” said Reality, who now lives in the United States. “We went to river, we did everything. If we had only one sweeties [candy] we would break it in half and share. He was the first one who encouraged me to sing calypso and urged me to enter a competition at St. John’s School.”

Reality said he and Rhadyo were also opening batsmen for the St. John’s cricket team. He said even during their teen years Rhadyo’s unique behavior showed that his mind was on a different realm.

“He was a brilliant batsman but he scored very slowly,” Reality said. “I would be on 50 runs and he would have 5. I would say to him, ‘Why aren’t you scoring?’ He would say, ‘I’m trying to hit a six by just using a couple of my fingers.’ Some people might see that as being weird. But he was just different . . . and I understood him.”

*This photo appeared in the Montserrat Mirror newspaper on December 22, 1979 as part of a preview for the calypso finals.*

‘MOON MAN’

Rhadyo attended St. John’s Primary School. He did not attend the Montserrat Secondary School, however in 1972 he was among the first group of students enrolled at the new Technical College built next to MSS in Plymouth. Rhadyo later attended Sir Arthur Lewis Community College in St. Lucia on a government scholarship. Upon his return he taught at the Junior Secondary schools in Salem and Dagenham, mainly Woodwork and Mathematics.

During an interview in 2012, Rhadyo said his interest in calypso began at around age 12. At 14 he wrote his first song, Moon Man, about the historic lunar landing in 1969.

Rhadyo’s first calypso name was “Thunderboy” – given to him by his brother Fisher. But by the time he entered the Festival calypso competition in 1976, he was known as Rhadyo. His reasoning was unusual to say the least. After undergoing an appendectomy, he decided to change his name because, according to Fisher, Rhadyo said: “You can’t operate on thunder . . . but you can operate a radio.”

There was already a famous calypsonian from Barbados named Lord Radio, so Rhadyo adopted the unique spelling of “Rhadyo” for his new nickname, Fisher said.

MYSTIC MAN

Rhadyo also developed an interest in mysticism and was influenced by the writings of Lobsang Rampa, whose most famous publication, The Third Eye, was published in 1956, the year Rhadyo was born. Rhadyo also practiced yoga and the meditative method of staring at the sun, sometimes as long as an hour at a time.

Upon launching his calypso career, he embarked on a series of songs that included “Man” in the title.

“I took it from the Bible and the Ten Commandments of man but not necessarily following the Christianity part,” Rhadyo explained in 2012. “I arrived at seven but couldn’t go any further.”

In order, the songs were: Camera Man, Preacher Man, Inspired Man, Swordman, Son of Man, Why Man and That Man. Rhadyo didn’t place in the Top 3 in his debut in ’76, and in 1977 he failed to reach the finals. In ’78 he tied for first runner-up as he sang Inspired Man and I’m Back.

In 1979 he released Swordman, which became his signature song. Swordman was featured on the album Festival Hits, Volume I, which was recorded at Air Studios and released in 1980. It was the first calypso compilation album in Montserrat history and sold well locally and in the diaspora, giving crucial exposure to Swordman. Ironically, Rhadyo said Swordman is not the favorite of his songs. “I like Son of Man,” he said in 2012. “I like the arrangement.”

Fisher added: “People say he was way ahead of his time. I would have to be on a certain celestial plane to understand where he was coming from sometimes. My favorite song by him was not Swordman, it was Inspired Man. I could relate to that one.”

Photo courtesy Kenneth “Rabo” Silcott
*Rhadyo at John A. Osborne Airport before a trip to Antigua for an eye exam in 2022.*

SETBACKS AND COMEBACK

As a teacher, Rhadyo was popular with his students due to his unique and unorthodox methods. He would educate them about proper diet and which foods to avoid. In between classes he would venture into the assembly hall and play the piano.

“He was a very generous guy,” said Dave Kirwan, who attended Salem Junior Secondary from 1982 to 1985. “He would buy us lunch if we didn’t have any money. He was a very cool teacher. The same way he wrote his calypsoes was the way he dictated the notes in class.”

Dr. Carol Tuitt was a fellow teacher with Rhadyo at the Junior Secondary School in Dagenham. “I remember we had a calypso competition one year and he worked with some of the kids to help them prepare,” she said.

Sadly, around this time in the early 1980s, Rhadyo’s erratic behavior began to surface.

“Sometimes he would come to class and not say anything to us,” Kirwan said. “Then the next week he would be fine. Then he would be gone for a couple weeks and when he came back he was fine. Then it got worse.”

By 1985, Rhadyo had devolved into a mental abyss. He returned to the calypso finals in 1986 with the catchy Sugar Dooshie but never reached the finals again. In the subsequent years he became detached, unkempt and spiraled into sporadic vagrancy. He also became a patient of the mental health unit.

“I cried when they gave him an injection that messed up his whole life,” said Tabu, a gifted artist and former cricketer who followed Rhadyo’s lead and became a calypsonian and teacher.

Photo courtesy Jerry Jarvis
*Rhadyo, center, with longtime friends Kenneth “Rabo” Silcott, left, and Jerry Jarvis in 2016.*

During Festival 2002, a “Top 40 show” was organized to showcase artists whose compositions were selected by the public as one of the 40 top hits released since Festival began in 1962. Dr. Tuitt, Rhadyo’s former colleague and longtime friend, convinced him to participate. Fans went into a frenzy when he made an appearance and performed Swordman at Festival City in Little Bay (video below). It was his first time on stage in more than a decade. Spectators ran to the front of the stage and gave him money. A few went onstage and danced along as he sang. Others simply wept.

“He was unique and gifted,” said Cecil “Cepeke” Lake, a three-time Montserrat calypso monarch who competed against Rhadyo in the 1986 calypso finals. “He was a strange guy of a different cosmo.”

Tabu said he doesn’t plan to mourn Rhadyo’s passing because he considers his mentor immortal. “He can never die,” Tabu declared. “He can never leave my spirit.”

During the final years of his life, Rhadyo lived for a time in Davy Hill, then was relocated to the Warden Assisted facility in Lookout. He battled eyesight problems but was still lucid and sociable with fellow residents, although reclusive at times. When his good friend Rabo got the call that Rhadyo was non-responsive he rushed to the facility.

“When I saw him lying on the floor he looked like he was sleeping. In fact I told the doctor to check if he was still breathing because I thought I saw his chest moving. But I think that was just hope on my part. Rhadyo was a calm, reliable and peaceful soul. He lived peacefully . . . and he died peacefully.”

Photo courtesy Kenneth “Rabo” Silcott
*Rhadyo at his apartment in Lookout Village.*

WATCH RHADYO’S EMOTIONAL COMEBACK PERFORMANCE IN 2002

Video courtesy Randy Greenaway
Rhadyo sings “Swordman” during his comeback performance December 23, 2002.

Rhadyo's discography

Some of Rhadyo's songs during his calypso career.

Camera Man (1976)	Teachers (1976)
Preacher Man (1977)	Sharpen Me Pencil (1977)
Inspired Man (1978)	I'm Back (1978)
Swordman (1979)	The Mind (1979)
Fifilo (1979)	Son of Man (1980)
Monopoly (1980)	Come on Down (1981)
Yow Yow (1981)	Chee Wee (1981)
Sugar Dooshie (1986)	Sweet Sweet Music (1988)

11,000 miles from Montserrat, cricket player Damion Williams salvages his career and becomes a champion

NIANNA C. ST. CLAIRE

May 31, 2024

damionthumb — All photos courtesy Damion Williams
Damion Williams with trophies after helping North Kalgoorlie win the Eastern Goldfields Cricket Association title.

In April of 2021 – 14 years after his debut with the Montserrat national cricket team – Damion Williams was finally selected to the Leeward Islands squad at age 29. He was honored to get a chance to play first-class cricket and represent his country. He excelled in the trial matches, but when the starting 11 was chosen for the West Indies Championships, he was nowhere to be seen. He languished for two years on the Leewards bench. For 18 of those 24 months he was on no-pay leave from his job as a quantity surveyor with the government of Montserrat.

On February 1, 2023, Leewards prepared to play in the West Indies Championships. Damion was again left out of the starting lineup. Eager to play, he left the squad briefly to play for Montserrat in the Leeward Islands tournament, which was making a return after missing three years due to COVID. Damion’s participation was unfortunately short-lived. On Friday, February 24, 2023, he sustained an ankle injury during the second match against Antigua in St. Kitts. A scan revealed five blood clots in his leg. Though normally a scary diagnosis, these clots were thankfully isolated and immobile.

“They were sports blood clots, not the kind that can kill you,” said Williams, who was treated by a cricket doctor and radiologist in St. Kitts, then continued his rehab in Montserrat. “I remember doing a lot of ultrasounds and strength work with a resistance band. I wanted to get back to the Leewards team before the end of the West Indies Championship.”

Williams worked tirelessly with a trainer but could not recover in time. His season was over, and now he was pondering about his future. Williams fully recovered in August. Now 31 – an age when most fast bowlers are either retired or winding down their careers – Damion was at a crossroads. He knew he still had much to offer on the cricket field. After much deliberation he finally accepted an offer that he had declined three years earlier: playing in Australia.

“I was originally offered a gig in Australia in September of 2020 but I turned them down,” Williams says. “Why? Australia is about 45 hours travel. Plus I heard about deadly snakes and deadly spiders down there.”

It also didn’t help that the offer came amid the height of COVID-19.

CHANCE ENCOUNTER

So how did a small cricket club in Western Australia find out about an unheralded fast bowler from Montserrat?

While playing in England from 2019 to 2021, Williams caught the attention of recruiter and former player Paul Carrick. “I didn’t know who he was,” Williams says. “He was just following my journey. You never know who’s watching or following your success.”

Carrick’s good friend and former teammate is Andrew Zafer, president of North Kalgoorlie Cricket Club. Carrick assists Zafer in recruiting players. Carrick contacted Williams in August of 2023. This time the Montserrat paceman accepted and joined North Kalgoorlie’s team for the Eastern Goldfields Cricket Association’s A-grade season that began October 19, 2023.

His six-month stay Down Under would not only revive his cricketing career, it would provide him with a steady income. It would also climax with a championship, bringing some vindication to an athlete who grew up in a “cricketing fraternity” in Montserrat.

A UNIQUE START

Damion Travis Adolphus Williams was born in Harris Village, well-known for producing some of Montserrat’s best cricketers – including first-class players Jim Allen, George Allen, Lennox Cooper, Fitzroy Buffonge and Davon Williams – and Montserrat’s only international umpire, Basil Morgan.

“It was in the blood . . . everybody from my village played sports,” Williams says proudly.

After the Soufriere Hills volcano forced residents in the East to evacuate in 1997, Williams and his mother relocated to Cork Hill, then Antigua. They returned to Montserrat and lived in Lookout, which Williams considers his childhood home.

Williams made his debut for the Montserrat national team in 2007 while also playing on the Under-15 team. He also represented Montserrat’s Under-17 and Under-19 teams and played for the Leeward Islands’ Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19 squads, serving as vice captain for the Under-17 team. From 2019 to 2021 he played in England for Ticknall Cricket Club and the second teams for Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, including in the second team championship for Northamptonshire.

His stellar play in the UK led to his selection by Leewards in 2021. However, Williams soon realized that being from Montserrat meant he had a narrow margin for error. The Leewards management is dominated by members from Antigua, St. Kitts and Nevis.

“I got the most wickets in trials as a fast bowler and I still wasn’t selected,” Williams said. “Montserrat is like a dot on the map even when compared to other Leeward Islands. We don’t have a lot of people to stand up for us.”

During his two years with Leewards, Williams says he missed out on selection for 11 matches – six four-day matches and five one-day games. His only time on the field was spent being an emergency fielder. He was even brought to tears after being snubbed for a match against Trinidad & Tobago on February 8-11, 2023, in Antigua. He looked on in dismay – knowing he could have helped – as T&T pummeled the Leewards bowlers.

*Damion Williams with the Leeward Islands Under-15 team in 2007. His teammates included future West Indies team players Rahkeem Cornwall and Hayden Walsh Jr.*

ON TOP DOWN UNDER

Williams’ decision to play in Australia was three years in the making. The actual journey Down Under also proved arduously long. It commenced with a three-hour flight from Antigua to Miami, followed by a five-hour stretch to Los Angeles. From there, the voyage extended to Sydney, spanning a grueling 16 hours, before proceeding to Perth, an additional five-hour leg, and finally culminating with the last hour’s journey to Kalgoorlie. Throughout the expedition, sleep and contact with his family and friends via What’s App provided solace.

Upon arrival in Australia, Williams says he was jet-lagged for a month. It took a while to adjust to the time zone and the punishing heat. During one match Williams had to be awakened when it was his turn to bat.

“I got to Australia October 14^th or 15^th and our first match was October 19. The Caribbean is not even 25 percent as hot as Australia. The air was light. Everybody was like, ‘How come you say you’re a fast bowler and you’re bowling so slow?’ The second game I got four wickets for 17 runs and we bowled out a team for 36 runs.”

North Kalgoorlie advanced to the championship match March 23 against Great Boulder. Williams claimed a wicket with his first delivery but says he didn’t have a great match overall and was battling personal issues. His team still prevailed, and Williams and teammates were celebrated by the locals and featured prominently in the newspaper.

During his time in Kalgoorlie, Williams was provided with room and board, and when the team found out he was a quantity surveyor, they helped him get a job with the local government as a project officer. He would work Monday to Friday, train on Tuesdays and Thursdays and play cricket on Saturdays.

*Damion Williams delivers the ball while playing for North Kalgoorlie during the 2023-24 season. He took 35 wickets in 22 matches.*

His performance on the field was a major boost for North Kalgoorlie, a club that has existed since 1948. In 22 matches, Williams took 35 wickets at an excellent average of 12.77. Two months into the 2023 season, he received a new contract to return for 2024.

Williams is only the second Montserratian to play in Australia following Jim Allen, who played in World Series Cricket (Kerry Packer) from 1977 to ’79.

Despite being the team’s only black player, Williams says he didn’t experience even a hint of racism during his six months there.

“Everybody treated everybody equally. I was treated really lovely. I was recognized a lot. People would want to attend to me in stores and I don’t even know them. People would come up to me and be like, ‘I know you. You’re always in the newspaper.’ People would be in a bar, don’t even know you and be like, ‘Hey mate, come over, have a drink with us.’ It was a nice area that reminded me about the Caribbean.”

Williams says a major culture shock was players “touching each other on the bum” as a means to celebrate. He also discovered that persons are not allowed to drive after two or three beers.

While in Australia, Williams had the opportunity to visit various locations, including the 400-hectare Kings Park, and the Perth Zoo, where he saw an elephant for the first time. He also saw more kangaroos than he can remember. “In Australia they have more kangaroos than people,” he says. “A kangaroo is basically like a chicken in Montserrat.”

*Damion Williams and teammates celebrate after winning the championship March 23, 2024.*

*Damion with Kalgoorlie CC president Andrew Zafer.*

I was treated really lovely. People would come up to me and be like, ‘I know you. You’re always in the newspaper.’ People would be in a bar, don’t even know you and be like, ‘Hey mate, come over, have a drink with us.’
– Damion Williams

PAYING IT FORWARD

Fast bowling is a demanding position that piles up cricket mileage quickly. But with more than 17 years immersed in cricket, Williams declares: “Age is in the mind. You can achieve whatever you want. England fast bowler Jimmy Anderson is over 40 and still playing. If you train hard, your mind stays young, and if you think positive, your body is just going to respond to that positive mindset.”

That said, he knows every career has a shelf life. Williams says his focus has shifted away from the Leeward Islands team. Whereas at one time every player wanted to represented their country, cricket has become a global and lucrative venture. Patriotism is not an accepted form of legal tender. Cricket is a business.

Williams now wants to see young Montserratians also get an opportunity on the global stage.

“My goal right now is to bring other Montserratians with me and boost their career,” he says. “My career is finishing. Montserrat is small, so you would want the youth coming after you to explore things that you never did and showcase their talent.”

The Montserrat national team has not played since February of 2023 and there is no indication when the Leeward Islands tournament will resume. Williams’ commitment to helping the youth in Montserrat can be seen through his involvement with two young rising cricketers: Jemol Williams and Zawandi White. He hopes both can achieve success on the field and generate revenue while still in their prime.

“Even when our players get selected to Leewards they’re not getting in the game,” Williams says. “We have to recognize that there’s life outside the Caribbean. There’s more money to be made outside the Caribbean, especially when you convert the foreign currency.”

In the meantime, Williams says he “can’t wait” to return to Australia, a country that gave his cricket career new life and provided him with a livelihood.

“Those two years with Leewards were the most hurtful and disappointing of my career. Not only did I get fight from Leeward Islands, Montserrat also turned their back on me when they made me take no-pay leave to go play for my own country. I had to rely on sponsors from all over the world. I know they don’t want their names called, but God bless them wherever they are.”

*Damion Williams poses with gorilla statue at the Perth Zoo in Australia.*

Montserrat’s Vickie Locker to compete in national election, adding to an interesting and diverse life story

EDWIN L. MARTIN

April 2, 2024

vickiethumbnail — Pundit, politician, performer. Montserrat's Vickie Locker has been a vessel of versatility.

Friday nights have become a ritual for Vickie Locker. At 8:30 p.m., when many folks are slipping out of their homes to ring in the weekend in style, Vickie is slipping into a “Superwoman” costume. The spare bedroom in her home in Dyer Piece, Montserrat, now serves as a mini-studio. She goes through her checklist. Sunglasses, check! Bottle of room-temperature drinking water, check! Proper lighting, check! She assures that she has sufficient phone data in case a power outage interrupts her Wi-Fi connection. Finally, she positions her Android phone on an old speaker. One by one, her fans start checking in to her Facebook page. At 9 p.m., it’s showtime! Soca music blares as Vickie appears on screen, her arms raised and fists clenched as she sways to the rhythm.

Since 2020, Vickie has been entertaining, engaging and even enraging members of the public as she addresses hot topics in Montserrat via her weekly live stream. What began with a few dozen followers has mushroomed to hundreds, mostly in the diaspora. They tune in to laugh, learn and lament about news on the Emerald Isle, and Vickie has been an eager host, injecting personal experiences while using self-deprecating and even bawdy humor to punctuate her point. Call it melee with a message.

During her show, Vickie often declares that she has multiple personalities. It’s not meant to be taken literally, she says. But this much is certain: she is multi-skilled. Vickie, a mother of two and grandmother of two, has been an athlete, coach, actress, foster parent, calypsonian, entrepreneur, social-media influencer, roving reporter, and more. She has also become a prolific farmer. Throughout her 49 years, she has demonstrated an ability to shift gears and adapt to new disciplines. Along the way she has challenged the status quo and displayed a steely determination.

And now, the woman who answers to the nickname “Storm” wants to bring a wind of change to Montserrat politics. On January 23, 2024, Vickie announced that she will contest this year’s national election. Although she’s currently employed as office administrator for the opposition, Vickie plans to run as an independent candidate. Her platform has a common theme: Change.

“I want to see a Montserrat where everybody is living comfortable and nobody is having to run to England or America for greener grass,” she says. “We can have that greener grass right here in Montserrat. I want to elevate the poor people. I want to lift the morale of the people. Better people bring a better country.”

Vickie acknowledges that her quest will require not only a change of policies but a change of mindsets, the latter being the more challenging. But she’s optimistic.

“I don’t give up because of failure. If you keep going, people will see your determination and someone will follow you. Yes, I will find a lot of opposition and a lot of rocks in the road that I can’t move. But you can go around them.”

EVENTFUL CHILDHOOD

Vickie has been dodging rocks for most of her life. She has also learned to conquer them. While growing up in the Amersham section of Town Hill she witnessed the value of hard work as she assisted her mother, Hazel Locker, who once crushed rocks for a living. Vickie’s childhood was filled with cultural enrichment but also had its share of turmoil.

“I saw a lot of abuse and trauma in my house,” she says. “But I think it’s a strength that God has blessed me with – to go through adversity and not have it affect me.”

Vickie says that if anything it has taught her compassion. “I’ve never abused my children or grandchildren. I’ve done foster-caring, I love animals, I love pets. I visit the prison every week and take them fruits.”

Vickie was a Daddy’s girl. Her father, Joseph O’Garro – nicknamed “Rice Na Pocket” – was a police officer. He took Vickie with him wherever he went, and her attachment to him was unmistakable.

“When I was about 4 years old I was in a troupe at Sturge Park,” Vickie says. “While I was on stage I looked in the crowd and I could not find my father. I walked off the stage, left the park, walked past the cemetery and went all the way to the police station in town looking for him.”

Vickie says the time she spent with her father was crucial to her development. She listened to his mature conversations with his male friends, studied their actions, and attained a perspective that helped shed her naiveté.

Vickie first attended the Cloverdale School in Town Hill, then Plymouth Primary (Maple Leaf) and later the Montserrat Secondary School. She was a stellar student, especially in Mathematics, and a terrific athlete.

“I played volleyball, cricket, basketball and ran track and field,” she says. “I won a lot of medals. I won the high jump, and my best event was the 100 meters. The one sport I didn’t play was netball. For some reason I never liked it.”

At age 11, Vickie’s life took a significant turn. She was adopted by her aunt – her mother’s eldest sister, who lived in Toronto. As part of the adoption process, Vickie’s surname was legally changed from Locker to Stephenson, which was her aunt’s married name. To this day, Vickie still uses Locker but must use her “government” name Stephenson for formal and business purposes.

Upon migrating to Canada in 1986, Vickie soon encountered culture shock. Her adopted parents were caring but strict and deeply religious, and Vickie faced many restrictions, including being forbidden to wear jewelry. The freezing weather was also punishing. With her home life rigid and the climate frigid, Vickie returned to Montserrat in 1989.

“I missed my mother. I missed my siblings. I was in a home that didn’t have any kids. My adopted parents loved me, but it’s not the same as a mother’s touch.”

Vickie, now 15 and a blossoming young woman, soon struggled to re-adjust in Montserrat as well. “There were a lot of older men who wanted to [date] me at a young age. I didn’t like it, and my mother didn’t like it. I saw several of my schoolmates getting pregnant. It felt like there were a lot of predators in Montserrat. My mom and I decided that it’s best that I go back to Canada and continue my education. So I went back in 1991.”

Vickie moved in with her elder brother in Toronto. She attended C.W. Jefferys High School in Toronto, where she played shooting guard on the basketball team. She later attended community college. But in between her accomplishments, she experienced profound adversity, including brief homelessness. At one point she was disconnected from her entire family for more than a year. “They probably thought I had died.”

Vickie says that at 17 she was basically on her own. “At one point I was in a shelter. I saw a lot of things on the street, people using drugs around me. Going through that experience let me know that I was mentally strong.”

She eventually reconnected with family after a chance meeting in downtown Toronto with a Montserratian who recognized her from back home and told Vickie that her mother is desperately looking for her.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

Vickie remained in Canada until 2002, when she returned to Montserrat for her father’s funeral. By this time, she was now a mother of two – her son Terrence, who was born in 1994, and daughter Taijah (2001). During her visit back home, she made an observation.

“There was no nightlife in Montserrat, no place to go and watch movies. When I was in Canada I had a part-time job working with Blockbuster Video. One of their stores was closing down and selling out all their videos. I bought a whole bunch of them. I had a lot of videos in Canada, VHS and a lot of DVDs. So I shipped them to Montserrat.”

Vickie built a small shop near the family home in St. John’s and opened a video rental business. She charged $10 for a two-day rental ($2 extra for late returns). At the time, it was the only business in Montserrat that rented videos exclusively.

“I became the hottest thing on the market. I even put up a board [screen] and people would come by and watch movies. Young people came by to hang out and play dominoes. I even had people working for me.”

Vickie’s venture not only proved popular but lucrative. “I was able to buy my house after that. I bought a car.”

Vickie also had a regular job, with Monair Travel. She worked at John A. Osborne Airport, where she would check in departing passengers. When airplanes arrived, Vickie would often be the first person passengers saw before disembarking. She would walk to the tarmac, secure the plane’s propeller blade with a strap, and collect the flight manifest from the pilot.

*Vickie in front of her video store in St. John’s.*

CALYPSO CALLING

In 2006, with her video business flourishing, Vickie – on a dare – ventured into a field that would bring her the most recognition: Calypso.

“Someone bet me that I couldn’t go on stage and sing,” she says. “So I did it, I won the bet, and I haven’t stopped singing since then.”

Vickie registered for the Festival calypso competition. She also entered the inaugural Euphony Vibes Female Calypso Show. Singing as “Vee Breeze” she performed Festival Fever and On Your Own, finishing fourth out of 10 competitors. In 2007, with new writer Keithroy “De Bear” Morson on board, Vickie reinvented herself, changing her calypso name to “Storm” (“I felt like I was now stronger than a breeze”). Vickie dethroned Silvina “Khandie” Malone to claim the Female crown. She would also win in 2008 and 2010 (there was no local female show in 2009).

WATCH VICKIE’S CALYPSO DEBUT (2006)

Vickie worked hard at her craft and could be often heard by neighbors in St. John’s rehearsing for hours on end. She also developed a reputation for creative stage presentations. During her performance of On The Road To Good Health in 2008, she distributed fresh coconut water to members of the audience. For Talk Talk Talk in 2010, her presentation featured then Chief Minister Reuben T. Meade, who was a good sport considering the topic centered on politicians’ broken promises.

Vickie has also achieved some historical marks, including being the first winner of the annual William “Ruler” Murrain Crowd Favorite Award (2007) and the first to represent Montserrat in the popular Regional Women’s Calypso Competition (2011).

Photo courtesy ZJB Spirit of Montserrat
*Vickie sings “Talk Talk Talk” during the Calypso Finals in 2010 as Chief Minister Reuben T. Meade, left, reacts to her lyrics.*

“When I first started singing calypso, it was frowned upon by my family because we are staunch Adventists,” Vickie says. “But eventually they used to tell me things like, ‘Vickie, I like that song! That one sounds good!’ So I actually helped to create some [religious] leniency in my family.”

Both of Vickie’s children have competed in junior calypso, with Taijah winning the competition during St. Patrick’s Week in 2014.

In recent years, Vickie has struggled to recapture the magic from the early part of her calypso career. During the years in which she has failed to advance in the competition, she has taken on the role of pundit, providing live commentary on Facebook during the calypso finals and drawing hundreds of followers.

Photo courtesy ZJB Spirit of Montserrat
Vickie wins the local female calypso competition for a third time on December 21, 2010 at the Montserrat Cultural Center. From left are fellow competitors Maxcine Lee, Joy “Dynamite” Williams and Maggie Destouche.

UPSETTING THE APPLE CART

Calypso has taken a subordinate role in Vickie’s life as she focuses on her fledgling political career, which actually began in 2019. That year, Vickie was a senior clerical officer within the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Housing and Environment. She wanted to contest the national election, but, per policy, she would first have to resign her post.

Vickie wanted assurance that she could return to her job if she failed to earn a seat in the legislature. But there were no guarantees. She also did not agree with restrictions on free speech for civil servants.

“To be able to serve your country you should not have to give up your livelihood,” she says. “They say you’re free to run for office, but you’re not really free, because you have to give up something. It’s like a slavery type of mentality.”

So Vickie mounted a legal challenge. With attorney Warren Cassell leading the charge, she took her grievance to the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court.

Montserrat Reporter archives
*Vickie’s challenge to the election guidelines regarding civil servants was chronicled in the local newspaper.*

READ THE CASE FILE OF VICKIE STEPHENSON VS. DEPUTY GOVERNOR LYNDELL SIMPSON

It was an interesting and groundbreaking case for Montserrat. Cassell made several compelling arguments on Vickie’s behalf, but in the end the challenge was unsuccessful. On November 6, 2019, the judge issued a protracted opinion. In part, he stated that running for public office should be taken as a serious venture, and if civil servants are assured they will retain their positions if they fail, many would simply “have a go” – creating a frivolous environment.

Vickie now faced a dilemma: resign and run for office, or postpone her political aspirations. She chose the latter. Although she lost the case, she shed light on what had been a controversial issue for years, and she was commended in many circles for her courage. Had she won that case, she would have gone down in Montserrat history as a pioneer.

“I was disappointed, but you just have to keep moving,” she says. “I fought for people to be free. I think Warren did his best but these court cases need more in-depth work. A lot of the laws and rules in the Constitution stem from slavery times. If you look at other islands, civil servants are not disgruntled. They’re making money and they’re happy because they changed a lot of their laws.”

On January 13, 2021, Vickie finally contested an election. She ran for president of the Montserrat Civil Service Association. However, she could not unseat incumbent Nyota Mulcare. Vickie lost, 147 votes to 47.

BACK IN THE TRENCHES

Three years later, Vickie is no longer a civil servant and now free to contest the national election. She has assembled a team and also outlined a series of policies she would like to see implemented. Her ideas have a distinct nationalist theme.

“One of the first things I would like to see is the minimum wage increase from $1,800 to $3,000. That will let Montserratians know we want them to stay. It’s not an incentive . . . it’s a necessity. Right now, it’s hard to make money, it’s hard to save money. I have no problem with people coming in from other countries. They help build the economy and they pay taxes. But I would like us to bring back more of the indigenous Montserratians. I would also like to see Montserratians in the diaspora being able to vote in our elections. That will give them a sense of inclusion and make them feel connected to Montserrat and want to come back.”

As for her political prospects, recent history in Montserrat elections has revealed that party affiliation is powerful. Most independent candidates have failed to earn one of the nine coveted seats. But Vickie remains hopeful and would be content even as a backbencher – to start. She felt subjugated as a civil servant and now wants to get back in government, but this time armed with the means to enact change.

“Even in the opposition seat you could shake certain tables,” she says. “My first term is really just to get into politics, not jump on a team that doesn’t share my goals and values. I want people to see what I’m about and what I bring to the table and see where it goes from there.”

One of the first things I would like to see is the minimum wage increase from $1,800 to $3,000. That will let Montserratians know we want them to stay. It’s not an incentive . . . it’s a necessity.

VESSEL OF VERSATILITY

Vickie’s political future will rest with the electorate, but even if she falls short, she has more than enough to fall back on. Her video business became obsolete more than a decade ago when streaming services such as Netflix became popular. Today, one of her main avenues for supplemental income is through farming.

In 2019, the Government of Montserrat gave Vickie a two-acre plot of farm land in Duck Pond, just northeast of Salem. She harvests okra, cabbage, tomato, string beans, lettuce, season peppers, cucumber, pineapple, and more. Meanwhile, her property in Dyer Piece features more than 30 species of fruits, including 22 coconut trees. All were planted by Vickie.

Vickie’s skills are not confined to the farm. She has coached children in cricket and has been a foster parent and mentor. Vickie, who jokes that she has been accused of creating “drama” through her live chat, has actually appeared in two plays: Chadd Cumberbatch’s 1768, about the St. Patrick’s Day rebellion, and Edgar Nkosi White’s Montserrat, A Comedy Divine: The Jumbie Play, an audio production.

But Vickie says the most important role of her life is ongoing. She has been guardian for her 8-year-old grandson Javair since he was two months old. Her daily schedule revolves around him, whether preparing him for school or transporting him to track and field and soccer practice in Little Bay. She has also passed on the tradition of self-sufficiency by teaching him farm work.

“I’m molding a track star,” Vickie says of Javair, who earned 12 medals during the recent annual Sports Day competitions. He was Boys’ Class 2 champion and earned the most points for Brades Primary School. In May of 2023, Javair represented Montserrat in the Starters Invitational track meet in Anguilla, winning silver and bronze medals. “You have to start them from young,” Vickie says. “I saw his talent from early on. He’s also a good student and he doesn’t get into trouble.”

Javair’s father – Vickie’s son Terrence – now lives in Canada, the land of his birth. Vickie’s daughter Taijah is serving in the United States Army and is based in Hawaii.

*Vickie with grandson Javair Stephenson.*

*Javair displays some of his many track and field medals.*

LOOKING AHEAD

Vickie says she plans to continue her Facebook live show even if she is elected. She says it’s important to remain connected with the masses by utilizing the power of social media. However, she has modified her approach. For a time, she lashed out at her detractors within the government, often indirectly. It eventually led to her dismissal from her job as a civil servant. But she has evolved.

“There are certain things I used to joke about that I no longer do. You realize that everybody has a family. I would put myself in the same situation and say, ‘Vickie, would you like that?’ I’ve moved into a different direction and it has been positive because I now get more people watching my live. I’ve gone from about 500 views to 11,000.”

She hopes that level of popularity will translate into support at the ballot box.

Vickie Locker, who each Friday night transforms from a mild-mannered grandmother to a social-media caped crusader, now hopes to be a superhero for Montserrat.

“I love people,” she says. . . . “and I like fairness.”

*Vickie conducts her Facebook live stream January 12, 2024.*

*Vickie participates in International Women in Farming Day on March 8, 2024 in Brades.* *Vickie had a stall during the event and sold an abundance of fruits and vegetables.*

Photo credit: Discover Montserrat
*Vickie, center, plays the role of Petty in the Chadd Cumberbatch play 1768 in March of 2018 at the Montserrat Cultural Center.*

[poll id=”10″]

Vickie's calypso songs

On Your Own (2006)	Festival Fever (2006)
Teach Dem (2007)	De Storm (2007)
We Have Not Changed (2008)	Road to Good Health (2008)
Father Come Down (2009)	Make Room For One More (2009)
Talk, Talk, Talk (2010)	Next In Line (2010)
Open Your Gates (2011)	Done De Place (2011)
Things That Make Me Sad (2012)	The Letter (2012)
Lady And A Warrior (2015)	No Fussing Around (2015)
Romeo Must Die (2016)	Five Cat (2017)
Kaiso On The Pulpit (2018)	We In Trouble (2019)
COVID Woes (2021)	Happy Birthday (2022)

Justin “Hero” Cassell remembered fondly during service as Montserrat says goodbye to cultural icon

EDWIN L. MARTIN

March 24, 2024

Screenshot_20240323_234653_OneDrive — Photo from cover of funeral program
Justin "Hero" Cassell was a 10-time Montserrat calypso monarch and expert in agriculture.

Family, friends, fans, colleagues and dignitaries celebrated the life of The Right Honourable Justin “Hero” Cassell, O.E., during a poignant homegoing service at the Montserrat Cultural Center on Saturday, March 23, 2024. Cassell, a calypso legend and agricultural expert – among many other ventures – died February 5 in London following a long illness. He was 80 years old.

The three-hour service featured 16 spoken tributes, capped by a lively homage from Hero’s brother, Lorenzo Cassell, who spoke about their love of calypso while growing up and Hero’s penchant for mischief and practical jokes. He also discussed his brother’s immense talent and generosity. Lorenzo Cassell’s tribute was followed by a eulogy from Hero’s six children, who recalled a supportive, caring father with a strong work ethic.

“Growing up, I was sometimes a bit selfish, like, I wish I had more of Dad,” son Sean said. “But then I realized that he served a greater purpose, and he served so many people that I had to share him, because he was a genius and he had so much to offer. I’m not a trust-fund kid, but the path he cleared for me . . . there are places I could go and just say I’m Hero’s son, and doors open for me. That is worth more than money.”

Photo credit: Phillomagic Media screenshot
*The children of Justin “Hero” Cassell, from left: Dyllon, Ayana, Sean, Renique, David and Donato.*

The audience of about 300 included Montserrat Premier Hon. Joseph Farrell and Antigua & Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne. Also present was Clarence “Oungku” Edwards of Burning Flames. Edwards, who was interviewed by Radio Montserrat before the service, spoke about meeting Hero in 1980 in Montserrat while working with the band Hammah International.

“There was never a dull moment with Hero,” Edwards said. “He was a real funny guy. He was such a clean soul. No bad mind, no envy. And no one could cook like Hero. I actually lived with Hero for seven years. That’s where we did all the mega-hits for Arrow.”

One of those mega-hits was the biggest of all time in soca – Hot Hot Hot, released in late 1982. Hero co-wrote the song, and Edwards played bass, including the classic bass line at the start of the song. Edwards, along with brother Toriano “Onyan” Edwards, was part of the famed University of Soca, a group of musicians who hung out together and collaborated during the halcyon days of Montserrat music in the 1980s.

Photo credit: Phillomagic Media screenshot
*From left, Honourable Crenston Buffonge, Premier Joseph Farrell and Antigua & Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne attend the funeral of Justin “Hero” Cassell.*

AN INTRIGUING LIFE

Justin Nestor Cassell was born on September 8, 1943. His father, Joseph Cassell, ran a liquor store and grocery. His mother, Veronica, was a former teacher. Justin was the seventh of their nine children.

Hero attended the Montserrat Secondary School, where his calypso talent blossomed during school concerts. In 1962, Hero became Montserrat’s first calypso king, singing Lizzie and Joe, a song about a gossip column in the local newspaper. He would go on to win nine more crowns in Montserrat and also the prestigious Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) title in Dominica in 1986.

At one point during the 1960s, Hero worked for Montserrat Company as an overseer at the lime groves in Richmond Estate and rode a horse named “Tom” as his main mode of transportation.

In the 1980s and ’90s, Hero was the main songwriter for his brother Alphonsus “Arrow” Cassell. He also wrote for many other artists locally, around the region and in the Montserrat diaspora. He was also an agricultural specialist, with extensive training at the Jamaica School of Agriculture and the University of the West Indies in Trinidad. He taught agriculture at a high school in the Bahamas in the mid-1970s, and later at the Montserrat Secondary School.

In 1985, Hero released his biggest hit, Tiny Winey – in collaboration with Jamaican bandleader Byron Lee. In the 1980s, he had a vaunted calypso rivalry with Everton “Reality” Weekes. Between 1980 and 1989, the two won eight of the 10 crowns in Montserrat.

From 2009 to 2019, Hero was events coordinator for St. Patrick’s Week. He also tried his hand at politics, contesting the national elections three times but falling short. In 2020, Hero received the Order of Excellence at the Montserrat National Awards, and two years later, the Montserrat Calypso Finals was renamed in his honor.

Photo credit: Phillomagic Media screenshot
*Hero’s homegoing service drew hundreds of mourners to the Montserrat Cultural Center.*

TOUCHING TRIBUTES

Two moments from the eulogy tugged at heartstrings. Hero’s son Dyllon played a recording of his father’s final song, a gospel called My Heart Is In The Right Place. It concluded with an acapella snippet of an ailing Hero, his voice sounding weak, singing the chorus.

Hero’s eldest son David, the first of the children to speak, presented a candid assessment of his relationship with his father.

“We had our issues like every relationship,” David said. “But one thing that never changed was that I had deep love for my father. Daddy, if you’re listening, I love you and I hope you’re resting in peace. I hope one day – hopefully not too soon – I will see you, and maybe we can make up for lost time.”

Among the others providing tributes were Hero’s good friends Ozie Carty and Reinford “Kulcha Don” Gibbons, who recalled his boisterous personality and early-morning phone calls. One young lady, speaking on behalf of a group of non-nationals, revealed that she has been the hairdresser behind Hero’s trademark braids since 2001. In a powerful video tribute, Hero’s cousin, Brenda Cassell, spoke about the singer’s final months in the UK and how he penned a song for her and exhibited a fiery dedication despite his illness.

“I often teased him about his self-proclaimed I Am A Good Man,” Brenda said in the video. “I said to him, ‘Can a person be a good man and a scamp at the same time?’ Ultimately, we agreed that no one is entirely good or bad, but it’s a mixture that makes us human.”

Hero’s death leaves only three surviving members of the nine Cassell siblings: Mrs. Veronica “Teacher Roni” Walker, Mrs. Camilla Watts and Lorenzo Cassell.

Following the service, the procession headed to the Lookout Public Cemetery, where Hero was interred next to his sister, Inez Cassell-O’Garro. That was followed by a repast back at the Cultural Center followed by a rollicking tribute concert featuring more than a dozen local performers. Hero’s son Dyllon stole the show, performing many of his father’s hits and even displaying some of Hero’s stage antics and mannerisms.

Hero's calypso crowns

Year	Songs
1962	Lizzie & Joe
1965	Wicked Married Men & Drive Old Man Drive
1971 (UWI)	Hero's Sugar Factory
1972	Cost of Living & Rum Side
1973	Back to the Land & Long Time Christmas
1981	The Flood & Don't Mess Wid Me Country
1983	String Band Jam & Old Time Sayings
1985	Who is de Man & Greedy Merchants
1986 (OECS)	Who is de Man & Manifesto
1986	Body to Body & I'm Underage
1989	Where de Galvanize & Close Dem Down
2007	Country Need Prayer & All They Want Is Money

Montserrat’s Kimmora Ward aims to end stigma of mental illness, starting with her own story. ‘I need to heal’

EDWIN L. MARTIN

February 9, 2024

kimmorathumbnail — Kimmora Ward, 37, has struggled with bipolar disorder for two decades.

Editor’s note: Kimmora Ward graciously agreed to share her struggle with bipolar disorder and reiterated that it remains a journey in progress. She is to be commended for her courage in sharing deeply personal details. Mental health remains somewhat of a taboo topic in Montserrat. Kimmora says her goal is to open the door – even if only ajar – for others with mental issues to seek help. She requested that this story be published February 9, 2024, which would have been her deceased son’s 18th birthday.

It is 6 a.m. Monday, June 28, 2021. Kimmora Ward is sitting in a black Suzuki jeep parked outside her home in Judy Piece, Montserrat. She’s in the driver’s seat, literally but not figuratively. She has been there for 10 hours straight, alone, reading self-help books and watching music videos on her Android phone. Since celebrating her 35th birthday three days earlier, Kimmora has slept a total of four hours. Her busy weekend included a birthday breakfast, dinner party, drinks and dancing at Marine Village, plus a Rotary Club ceremony. On Sunday she attends a brunch at the Vue Pointe Hotel, where she consumes a caffeine-infused caramel beverage.

Kimmora is sometimes teased about the fact that her birthday is June 25, the date of two tragedies – the deadly volcanic eruption in Montserrat in 1997, and the death of Michael Jackson in 2009. Her birthday weekend in 2021 also became an infamous anniversary. Her whirlwind three days – compounded by minimal rest – fueled a manic bipolar episode.

“I felt like I had all the energy in the world, like I was running on adrenaline,” she says. “It’s almost like a state of euphoria, like being care-free.”

Like alcohol or some recreational drugs, manic bipolar disorder sheds inhibitions, judgment and reason, facilitating extraordinary behavior. In some cases the results are innocuous, such as being talkative or animated. In other instances it can conjure severe aggression. That fateful Monday, Kimmora was admitted to Glendon Hospital following two major acts of vandalism.

“I’m not normally a confrontational person,” she says. “I’m very passive aggressive. But when I’m in a manic state and you mash my corn, I can be very aggressive.”

In late 2005, Kimmora was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in England after being hospitalized there following an episode. More episodes would follow in 2010 and each year from 2014 to 2018. She has struggled to maintain relationships and has endured the microscope of a small community, including folks who have called her “crazy” to her face. She has contemplated suicide. She has been arrested. She has witnessed how her volatile behavior has saddled distress on her unwavering mother, whom Kimmora calls her best friend. And then there’s her lowest point: the death of her infant son – a tragedy that is as complicated as it is heart-wrenching. Kimmora’s adult life has been strewn with emotional baggage, and there’s much to unpack.

On October 12, 2023, Kimmora published Goodbye, Bipolar! A Healing Journey. The book, which is available at Amazon, chronicles her journey with the disorder. Most authors dedicate their publications to a loved one. As a testament to her magnanimous intentions, Kimmora has devoted her book to anyone struggling with mental illness.

“Mental health is important just like physical health,” she says. “There is a thin line between sane and insane. How many times have we seen someone who seems to have it all together, and then they go through some kind of trauma and commit suicide.”

Kimmora then adds: “There are a lot of people in Montserrat suffering in silence.”

And in order to address this, she is willing to be the first to speak up.

*Kimmora, age 5, with mom Paulette Ward.*

LITTLE KIMMI

Kimmora Shadine Ward – affectionately called “Kimmi” by her family – grew up in Boston Village, a section of Town Hill, about a half-mile southeast of the now-buried capital of Plymouth. She attended St. Augustine Catholic School on George Street. She excelled academically, was a member of the Girls Brigade – similar to the Girl Scouts – and sang in her Methodist Youth Choir.

When Kimmora was 9, her family was displaced by the volcanic crisis and moved north, settling in Brades, which became Montserrat’s de facto capital post-volcano. Kimmora attended the Montserrat Secondary School, where she continued her scholastic achievements. She earned Student of the Year honors in Fourth Form and finished second runner-up in a regional Public Speaking competition in Antigua.

“I was always on the Honor Roll,” says Kimmora, who was once featured in the Montserrat Reporter newspaper along with other top MSS students. She even dabbled in sports, participating in the long jump for Green House during the annual Sports Day.

Although Kimmora’s parents split up when she was a toddler, she has always remained close with both, especially her mother, Paulette Ward, a native of St. Kitts who came to Montserrat as a baby. Her father, Elijah “King” Silcott, is a Montserratian from Baker Hill. To honor them, Kimmora even began using both their surnames while in high school – until one of her teachers objected. “She told me, ‘No one in this class is married!’ ” Kimmora says. “She was a person of authority, so after that I just used Ward.”

After MSS, Kimmora attended the Montserrat Community College. Due to circumstances, her education took a hiatus, and in 2015 she earned a degree in accounting from the University of the West Indies Open Campus.

On a personal level, Kimmora drew attention for her fashion sense and consistent pristine appearance. “I got that directly from my mom. I try to emulate that standard. Even if I’m going down to the corner shop I feel I need to wear my earrings. I do it for me, but to be honest, I also enjoy getting compliments.”

So by all means Kimmora appeared to be enjoying a well-grounded existence . . .

. . . until she was grounded – literally.

The World Health Organization states that although not everyone will experience mental illness in their lifetime, “everyone will struggle or have a challenge with their mental well-being.”

THE FIRST BREAKDOWN

Kimmora states in her book that her first recognized bout with mental struggles came in December of 2003. Like most young adults, she had become interested in the opposite sex and began dating. It was the Festival season. Her mother urged her to complete her education before engaging in sexual activity. When Kimmora defied her request, her mother grounded the 17-year-old. A devastated and angry Kimmora rebelled and retreated. She threatened to take her life. There was also a childhood trauma that she had suppressed for almost a decade. After her punishment, that scar was ripped open, adding gasoline to the emotional inferno.

As Kimmora’s behavior became increasingly erratic and she was subsequently hospitalized, her mother sought help from mental health experts. It was decided that Kimmora would require medication. She fought it for some time because she felt it would be an affirmation that she was indeed “crazy”. She eventually relented when her mother held an anti-depressant pill in front of her and insisted that she ingest it. “I remember it like yesterday,” Kimmora states in her book. “This pill was blue on one end and hot pink on the other.”

Medication stabilized Kimmora for some time and she began to experience some semblance of normalcy. She had not yet been officially diagnosed, so the mystery surrounding her mental collapse remained. Nevertheless, she felt great physically. She continued her education and got employment at a local travel agency and Montserrat Utilities Limited.

But like a vulture, bipolar disorder is constantly lurking, waiting to swoop in at the first sign of vulnerability. The Mayo Clinic – consistently ranked as the top hospital in the United States – reported that “although bipolar disorder can occur at any age, typically it’s diagnosed in the teenage years or early 20s.” It is often triggered initially by stress or trauma, and victims sometimes have a genetic predisposition.

Kimmora elaborated on her particular case. “Bipolar disorder has two states – the manic and the depressive. I’m more the manic. But usually after that goes away I go into a depression and regret the things I did while I was in the manic state. I have done a lot of things I’m not proud of.”

There is a reason why – despite historic advancements in the medical field – there has never been a successful brain transplant. The body’s most important organ is impossible to replicate. With trillions of neurological sensors controlling everything from mood, movement and memory, it is a complex engine that serves as the body’s cockpit. The World Health Organization states that although not everyone will experience mental illness in their lifetime, “everyone will struggle or have a challenge with their mental well-being.”

From 2006 to 2021, Kimmora was hospitalized “at least nine times” in Montserrat for bipolar episodes. Her hospital stays often constitute three stages: medication, observation and rest. That would often be followed by counseling. She has had to be physically restrained by hospital staff and has received sedative injections “multiple times”. It’s a humiliating experience that she says is exacerbated by nurses who are ill-equipped to deal with the mentally ill.

“They can be very callous. They’ve medicated me heavily sometimes to the point that I have slurred speech. As soon as you go in, they hit you with an injection. Sometimes I just need someone to talk to.”

A member of the mental health team told Montserrat Spotlight that patients are treated on a case-by-case basis and that injections are administered usually when a patient is non-compliant. Asked what is the most powerful drug utilized, the team member said Diazepam, a sedative often used to treat seizures. The side effects include paranoia, suicidal thoughts and impairment in judgment, memory and coordination.

“Bipolar disorder has two states – the manic and the depressive. I’m more the manic. But usually after that goes away I go into a depression and regret the things I did while I was in the manic state. I have done a lot of things I’m not proud of.”
– Kimmora Ward

THE NEXT CHAPTER

Kimmora’s book serves as the latest step in her odyssey of coming to terms with her illness. Asked if she constantly feels the looming possibility of another episode, she says no. “I know what I need to do to stay well. I have to take my medication and avoid triggers such as not getting enough rest. I especially have to be careful around Festival season in December.”

She does, however, feel the burden of discipline. “The slightest mess-up and it’s almost as if people will say, ‘Well, what do you expect?’ I feel like there’s pressure on me to be the best person I can be. ‘Normal’ has different definitions. I feel like I’m repressed.”

As for her personal life, Kimmora admits she has not experienced healthy relationships. She dated one young man on and off for about a decade. “Every time I would have an episode he would leave me, then come back when I get better. In 2017, I had an episode and he called me and said, ‘I can’t do this anymore.’ He left me for good. That broke my heart.”

She has dated after that, but nothing long-lasting or substantive. “I seem to attract narcissistic people. I know I need to work on myself. But I seem to pick up people who need work themselves. Sometimes I tell myself I should just stay single.”

That said, she acknowledges her faults. “I hold on to emotions. I have stuck emotions. I got a tattoo recently that says ‘Let It Go.’ Sometimes you act out on people because you haven’t healed. I’m also a very jealous person. I have to work on that. I think that stems from insecurity.”

*Kimmora has worked at the Office of the Auditor General since 2016.*

LIVING AND COPING

Since 2016, Kimmora has been employed with the Office of the Auditor General in Montserrat. The department is responsible for auditing and reporting on public accounts. It not only provides oversight, it compiles financial and budgetary data that is crucial to the government, especially during legislative meetings. In 2022, she completed a 10-month course with Norway-based IDI (INTOSAI Development Initiative) and became a certified compliance auditor.

Kimmora says she enjoys a cordial relationship with her co-workers, who are aware of her illness. “They are compassionate because they know how I am when I’m well,” she says.

In December of 2022, Kimmora displayed a flair for drama when she appeared in the play Wahari, written and directed by Montserrat’s William “Bubblicious” Galloway. She loves the camera, and it apparently loves her back. She’s a self-described “Selfie Queen” who posts regularly to Instagram and Tik-Tok. She remains a member of the Rotary Club and has become Montserrat’s unofficial spokesperson regarding mental health, even appearing on Radio Montserrat to discuss the topic and organizing events during Mental Health Week. In 2023, she launched a YouTube channel on which she posts frequent videos addressing mental health.

“There are a lot of people in Montserrat suffering in silence.”
– Kimmora Ward

Kimmora says she has been told by “many” people that Montserrat is not the ideal place for her to manage her disorder. Countries such as the United States and England could provide advanced care and a level of obscurity and privacy that is impossible in Montserrat. “I agree with that,” she says, “but Montserrat is where most of my support system is, especially my mom. I don’t want to put her under that stress where she would have to get on a plane every time I have a setback.”

In the interim, Kimmora will continue to advocate for improved mental health on her tiny home island. Montserrat currently has a four-person mental health team: a psychiatric nurse, a clinical psychologist, a community psychiatric nurse practitioner and a counselor. The island has come a long way from the days when mental patients were jettisoned to an institution in Antigua. But Kimmora says reform is still needed, notably sensitivity training for the ward nurses tasked with caring for the mentally ill once admitted. It is much easier to treat a broken arm than a broken psyche. A mental health hotline would also help. Kimmora is in direct communication with two regional groups that address mental health: Healthy Caribbean Coalition and Let’s Unpack It. Both are based in Barbados.

*Kimmora Ward gives a speech in Little Bay in 2022 during Mental Health Week.*

Kimmora constantly highlights the fact that mental illness covers a broad spectrum, from depression and anxiety to more serious disorders such as schizophrenia. Postpartum depression is another mental ailment and affects 1 in 10 women, studies show. Kimmora says many people in Montserrat carry around emotional trauma and are reluctant to address them for fear of being stigmatized. “They’re ashamed and proud. They classify mental illness as being weak. But they must go through the necessary avenues to seek help.”

Kimmora’s book elaborates about her illness, triggers, mistakes and how everything from faith to meditation have brought solace to her plight. And although an important part of healing is revealing, some issues remain too painful to revisit in detail. The book states that one of her goals is to eventually get off medication and be treated with natural remedies. The title – Goodbye Bipolar! – is more wish than declaration. However, she’s gainfully employed, and her relationship with her family is strong, especially with her mother. She’s content . . . but not complete.

“I’ve never asked ‘Why Me?’ and I don’t think of myself as a victim. God gives His toughest battles to His strongest soldiers. But certain things are missing from my life. I don’t know if I get them that I will be happy. But happiness begins with you. . . . I need to heal.”

Postscript: On December 28, 2023, about two weeks following our interview, Kimmora sustained minor injuries in a car accident. She was hospitalized and administered two sedative injections. Kimmora says they assumed she was having a bipolar episode. She insists she was not.

Note to Montserrat residents: If you or someone else is experiencing a mental health emergency, call Glendon Hospital at 491-2552.

*Kimmora Ward’s self-help book is available at Amazon.* CLICK HERE *to order your copy. Her first book, Inner Reflections, is also available for purchase.*

Kimmora Ward addresses mental health on her YouTube channel.

Kimmora Ward is interviewed by Nerissa Golden during the Alliouagana Festival of the Word on Saturday, November 18, 2023.

Celebrities with bipolar

Famous people who were diagnosed as bipolar.

Mariah Carey (singer)	Kanye West (rapper)
Demi Lovato (singer)	Mel Gibson (actor)
Sinead O'Connor (singer)	Jimi Hendrix (guitar legend)
Amy Winehouse (singer)	Jean-Claude Van Damme (actor)
Sir Winston Churchill (Prime Minister)	Frank Sinatra (singer)
Source: WebMD

Justin ‘Hero’ Cassell Interview (2012)

EDWIN L. MARTIN

February 8, 2024

Justin “Hero” Cassell discusses many aspects of his calypso career, from being Montserrat’s first monarch in 1962 to his rivalry with Everton “Reality” Weekes and his collaborations with his brother Arrow.

Opinion: Farewell to Justin ‘Hero’ Cassell, my favorite Montserrat calypsonian of all time

EDWIN L. MARTIN

February 7, 2024

herocollage — Justin "Hero" Cassell, from left, is pictured in 1973, early 1980s and in 2004.

The old saying “No news is good news” is flawed and conditional. I had a feeling something was wrong when I couldn’t reach Justin “Hero” Cassell by phone in recent weeks. Then I woke up Monday morning, February 5, 2024, to a flurry of messages on What’s App. They all revealed the same bad news. On the same day the world found out that King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer, we learned that Montserrat’s foremost calypso king had died from cancer.

Hero and I were intricately connected by calypso, culture, country and circumstance. We are actually related. His grandmother, Cashie Welch, and my great-great grandmother, Beth Welch, were sisters. I’ve interviewed him many times and sought his advice for my calypso compositions.

One afternoon during the Montserrat Festival season in 2018, I stopped by the Lyme, the now-defunct bar that was located in Brades. I heard someone calling me from the parking lot. It was Hero. He was sitting in his vehicle. He looked a bit somber. When I went over, he said to me: “Man, I gave you advice for your song and you didn’t even have the courtesy to buy me a drink.” I asked him what he would like. He said a Ginseng Up would be fine. I walked over to the bar, bought the Ginseng and took it for him. He said, “Listen man, I have a nagging pain right here in the bottom of my stomach. What do you think it is?” Assuming he was simply being a hypochondriac, I chided him a bit. “Hero, I’m not a doctor. Maybe it’s just gas.”

The following May, Hero traveled to Antigua to attend the funeral of his good friend, Dr. Prince Ramsey, who, ironically, had died of cancer. On that same trip, Hero ended up undergoing surgery in Antigua. So when I decided to enter the calypso competition in Montserrat later that year, I wrote a song called Unsung Hero, a tribute to my favorite calypsonian in Montserrat history. When I saw him in December of 2019, he seemed rejuvenated. He was his usual lively, talkative and brash self. He even casually spoke about his surgery. He visited the band house during calypso practice and gave me some tips. “Take your time and sing your song,” he would say. “It’s a singing competition.” He appeared on stage with me at the end of my performance of Unsung Hero, adding a crucial punctuation that surely boosted my presentation and helped me finish first runner-up.

Photo credit: Facebook
*Hero appeared on stage with me briefly when I sang Unsung Hero in the Montserrat Calypso Finals, December 30, 2019.*

In early 2020, it was announced that Hero would (finally) receive a National Award for his contributions to Montserrat. I was told (falsely) that my calypso tribute helped spur the powers that be to give him the honor. Hero later told me the award was already in the works before my song was released. On Sunday, March 8, 2020, Hero was presented with an Order of Excellence award, the highest civilian honor after National Hero. He was now officially The Right Honourable Justin “Hero” Cassell, O.E.

Fast-forward to August 4, 2022. A mutual friend sent me a video clip of Hero performing at the Breakfast Fete during Antigua Carnival. He looked a bit gaunt but he was a trooper and gave a lively showing as he delivered a medley of his hits. The video was accompanied by a voice note from my friend. “I think you should write something about Hero. I have a feeling we won’t see him in Montserrat again.” Hero flew to England the same day. I spoke to him several times while he was in the UK and he always gave an upbeat report. “All my tests look good,” he would say. I was encouraged when he would call in to Radio Montserrat, which he did as recently as late November. He always sounded robust, and I marveled at his resilience. But I was also realistic. I knew he faced tough odds.

‘A SPECIAL GIFT’

The terms “icon” and “legend” get tossed around a lot, mostly hyperbolically. Justin “Hero” Cassell, Montserrat’s first calypso monarch in 1962, was a generational talent – and he knew it. Hero was many things. Bashful was not one. He often uttered the famous Shakespeare quote: “Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.” Like Muhammad Ali, he was boastful, and he backed it up. As a songwriter he practiced profound simplicity. He loathed abstract compositions and believed that lyrics should never confuse the listener. He also liked short lyrical lines and utilized the formula of repeating a word or phrase three times: Hot Hot Hot, Money Money Money, Prum Prum, Prum Prum, Prum Prum. He was a master of melody and calypso scat. I once asked him how he comes up with some of his improvisational fillers such as Way-lie, way-lie and Prum Prum. “You’re just imitating the musical instrument,” he said matter-of-factly. It finally made sense to me.

He graciously shared his talent by paying it forward. He wrote for countless artists in Montserrat and many more around the region. Calypsonians sought his counsel frequently because he could look at lyrics on a sheet and immediately diagnose the flaws and reveal how it can be improved. Send him a demo and he knew right away if was a potential hit. His calypso radar was precise.

Photo by Keith Dyett / Montserrat Reporter
*The Cassell brothers, from left, Lorenzo, Alphonsus (Arrow) and Justin in 2007.*

Then there was his voice, which was instantly recognizable. I describe it as a wailing lilt, like a gospel singer turned secular. It accentuated his supreme art of storytelling. When one listens to his classic Manifesto and hear Hero’s rendition of a politician’s plea – “Can you hear me? Can you hear me people!” – it creates an imagery that only a gifted writer can execute. He was the wizard behind the curtain of Arrow’s biggest hits and he once expressed to me how proud he was to have placed his fingerprints on arguably the two biggest soca hits of all time: Hot Hot Hot and Tiny Winey.

Alfred “Warrior” Christopher, who competed against Hero three times in the 1960s – including the inaugural Festival in 1962 – said of his former rival: “He was great composer. I actually knew Hero way before we started singing calypso. When he was very young he used to come by the Defense Force Club after school. I remember he could sing exactly like Nat King Cole. I couldn’t believe it. I said, ‘This guy has a special gift.’ “

With Hero gone, Christopher, 85, is now the only surviving member of the five calypsonians from the first Festival. The others were William “Ruler” Murrain, James “Tangler” Lee and Peter “Red Poll” Howson.

MULTI-FACETED MAN

Death is always shocking, even when it’s expected. But there are certain people – because of their personality and presence – that are difficult to fathom being gone. Hero is one. He was omnipresent and outspoken. He wore many hats – father, husband, teacher, pundit, mentor, agricultural specialist, political activist and more. He also wore many crowns, whether cheese pan or gold-plated. He was an imperfect man who was immensely brilliant and should have been a millionaire. He liked to wager. He won big and lost big. But then again, life itself is a game of chance.

I will remember his calypso artistry and our insightful conversations. I am grateful for his contribution to my calypso journey. In 2018 when I penned a song called Paging Dr. Sammy, I emailed the lyrics to him. He responded: “This is very good, but you should end each verse by saying, ‘If you see him tell him for me.’ ” Once again he was on point. His humor was also underrated. I used to playfully chastise him about his cigarette smoking, to which he would reply: “I’m not a smoker, I’m just a puffer.” Hero displayed a youthful exuberance, although he frequently fibbed about his age.

Like his brother Arrow before him, Hero has left a vast musical catalog, ensuring that his voice will reverberate for generations to come. Death may silence singers, but it can’t silence music. I will always see him, walking with a swagger, wearing his trademark shades and short dreadlocks. I extend profound condolences to his wife, children and the extended family. Hero has now faced his final curtain. The show is over. And what a show it was. But all things must pass.

Hero rarely lost on the calypso stage.

But sadly, Father Time is undefeated.

RELATED STORY: Arrow classic Hot Hot Hot turns 40

Hero and I sing Hero’s classic The Flood on December 16, 2019 in Salem.

Hero's calypso crowns

Year	Songs
1962	Lizzie & Joe
1965	Wicked Married Men & Drive Old Man Drive
1971 (UWI)	Hero's Sugar Factory
1972	Cost of Living & Rum Side
1973	Back to the Land & Long Time Christmas
1981	The Flood & Don't Mess Wid Me Country
1983	String Band Jam & Old Time Sayings
1985	Who is de Man & Greedy Merchants
1986 (OECS)	Who is de Man & Manifesto
1986	Body to Body & I'm Underage
1989	Where de Galvanize & Close Dem Down
2007	Country Need Prayer & All They Want Is Money

Montserrat’s versatile Maggie D holds Festival record that likely won’t be broken. ‘I love my culture’

EDWIN L. MARTIN

January 31, 2024

maggiedcalypsofinals23 — Photo credit: Montserrat Arts Council
Maggie D performs in the Montserrat Calypso Finals on December 29, 2023.

Maggie Destouche’s talent was spotted from the time she was a toddler. When she was 3 years old, her father Francis – amazed by his precocious daughter’s singing voice – bought her a toy microphone. Little Maggie picked it up . . . and she hasn’t put it down since. Twenty-seven years later, the mild-mannered performer has quietly entered the Montserrat record books.

During Montserrat Festival 2023, Maggie competed in the Calypso Monarch, Soca Monarch and Regional Women’s Calypso contest, adding to what was already an impressive track record of participation.

Since 2008, Maggie has competed in eight different events attached to Festival: Junior Calypso, Teen Pageant (which she won), the Miss Montserrat pageant, the local Women’s Calypso Show, Regional Women’s Calypso Show, Police Week calypso competition, Calypso Monarch and Soca Monarch. No other performer in the history of Montserrat Festival, which began in 1962, has come close to such an achievement. In fairness, several of those events began in recent years, but Maggie’s feat is still remarkable.

“I love my country and I love my culture,” Maggie says. “I love the stage. I feel comfortable on stage, and when I get a reaction from the audience it gives me even more motivation.”

Maggie’s reserved demeanor might give the impression that she’s bashful. Not at all, she says.

“I’m not shy,” she says. “I’m just quiet.”

IT’S JUST ‘MAGGIE’

Maggie’s journey began in Trials Village in southern Montserrat. Maggie’s mother, Shamaine Hyman, is a Montserratian. Her father hailed from Dominica. After Hurricane Hugo devastated Montserrat in 1989 – causing damage to an estimated 90 percent of the structures – Francis Destouche, a carpenter by trade, arrived as part of the recovery effort. It was there that he met Maggie’s mother.

By the way, “Maggie” is not short for Margaret or Magdalene. “It’s just Maggie,” she says with a chuckle. “I was named after my father’s mother.”

When the volcanic crisis began in 1995, the family moved to Nevis. In 1999, Maggie’s father was tragically killed in a freak vehicular accident. The family returned to Montserrat and Maggie grew up mostly in Lookout but also lived in St. John’s and Drummonds. She attended Brades Primary School, then joined Lookout Primary in Grade 4. She was part of the first graduating class at Lookout in 2005. When the school opened in 2001, it was kindergarten through Grade 3. It later expanded to Grades 4, 5 and 6.

“When we were in Grade 4, there was no Grade 5 or 6,” explained Maggie, who is proud to be part of the school’s beginnings. “We were the oldest students. I always tell people that. We made [history] at Lookout Primary School.”

Maggie then attended the Montserrat Secondary School. While in third form, she had a chance encounter that boosted her performing career – and her confidence.

“I was walking in St. John’s one day and I heard a band playing downstairs Lord Hailes bar. The music really captivated me so I went inside. It was the Lava Band playing. They gave me the mike and told me to sing. From there, I started singing with the band.”

“I’M NOT SHY. I’M JUST QUIET.”
Maggie Destouche

In 2008, Maggie was approached by Sunrise Productions about entering the Teen Pageant.

“My aunt [Shandrina Hyman] had been in the queen show, so I think that kind of motivated me,” Maggie says.

Maggie entered the pageant and was chaperoned by Thandie Williams and 2004 Festival queen Jasmine Jno-Baptiste. As usual, her vocal skill left a great impression. Her talent segment featured a skit in which she was being pursued by an older man. Maggie, who had just turned 15, sang the hit reggae song I Am Not Afraid by Etana. She walked away with the Teen crown.

“That was special because I believe I was the youngest one in the competition,” she says.

Photo credit: Maggie Destouche / Facebook
*Maggie Destouche, who had just turned 15, is crowned Miss Teen 2008.*

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY

Hoping to springboard from her Teen pageant victory, Maggie entered the Miss Montserrat pageant in 2011. She was chaperoned by Sunrise Productions, the same group that organized the Teen pageant. That year, the Miss Montserrat show was expanded to include a cultural presentation. Maggie’s topic of choice was Shamrock Cinema. Wearing a gold 1970s-themed outfit complete with bell bottoms and an Afro wig, she entered to the song Kung Fu Fighting before chronicling the history of Montserrat’s iconic movie theater, which opened in 1971.

Photo credit: Sunrise Productions
*Maggie prepares to go on stage for her cultural presentation on the history of Shamrock Cinema as part of the Miss Montserrat pageant in 2011.*

For her talent segment, Maggie sang Man Down by Rihanna. She won Best Swimwear and tied for Best Introduction Speech. She was confident about her chances of victory, but in the end she had to settle for first-runner up.

“I really felt like I won,” Maggie says. “I shed some tears that night. Up to this day I still think about it. I felt like I delivered well in all my segments. I worked my butt off and my chaperones were amazing. I felt like I let them down. I wasn’t happy about the result, but as they say, the judges’ decision is final.”

Despite the loss, Maggie says that 2011 Queen Show remains her favorite of all the contests she has entered.

Watch Maggie Destouche sing Man Down during the talent segment of the Miss Montserrat show.

Photo credit: MNI Alive Media
*Maggie Destouche, left, with Festival queen Claris Yearwood and second runner-up Tiffany Ryan on December 26, 2011.*

In 2012, Maggie competed in Montserrat Idol, an event launched in 2011 by American expatriate Tom Walker and wife Mary Ann, owners of the Soca Cabana nightclub in Little Bay. Mr. Walker patterned the event after the TV show American Idol, which was popular at the time. Maggie also competed in 2016.

Maggie has collaborated over the years with writers and producers such as Wayne “JMacwell” Dyer, Jonathan “Darkman” Duberry, Everton “Reality” Weekes and Cecil “Cepeke” Lake. She has also performed with two other local bands: Inner Vybz and Volcanic Vybz. She is equally comfortable singing calypso, soca, reggae or R&B.

Away from the stage, Maggie is the mother of three sons: Dwayne, 10; Malique, 5; and Zaire, 1. She has been employed by the Montserrat Port Authority since 2012. Her penchant for participation has rubbed off on two of her siblings. Her sister Francis has competed in the St. John’s Action Club Princess Show, the Teen Pageant and the Miss Montserrat Show (Maggie was her chaperone). Her brother Appiland has participated in the Calypso and Soca Monarch shows. In 2023, Maggie and Appiland performed together in the Groovy segment of the Soca Monarch.

Photo credit: Maggie Destouche / Facebook
*Maggie with brother Appiland and sister Sheba, circa 2016.*

Maggie’s music can be found on Apple Music, Soundcloud, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and other platforms. At 30, she is proud of her body of work and her place in Montserrat Festival history. If only her father were around to see her now. When Maggie reached the Calypso Finals in 2015, one of her songs was Immortal (Heroes Never Die). It was a tribute to her dad, the man who first handed a microphone to Maggie and helped a soft-spoken young lady find her true voice.

“I still have fond memories of him,” Maggie says. “I think he would be proud of the woman I am today.”

Maggie's Festival résumé

Event	Year
Teen Pageant	2008 (Winner)
Junior Calypso	2010
Women's Calypso (Local)	2010
Police Week calypso	2010
Miss Montserrat	2011
Calypso Finals	2013, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023
Soca Monarch	2010, 2014, 2023
Women's Calypso (Regional)	2019, 2023

Maggie's Discography

Mad Man (2010)	Crazy (2010)
Wining On Me (2011)	End Child Abuse (2013)
You Can Make It (2013)	Letter To Mama (2014)
Immortal (2015)	Saltfish (2015)
Kiss Me (2016)	In My Baby's Arms (2016)
Sweet Old Songs (2017)	Lift Up This Land (2017)
Gone Too Far (2017)	Don't Wake Me Up (2019)
Blind Spot (2019)	Tell Us Who We Are (2021)
Extermination Time (2021)	Shadow of My Destiny (2023)
All-A-We (2023)	Worries (2023)

Maggie D performs in the Regional Women’s Calypso Show on December 30, 2023.

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