Rose brought to tears by students

Born Mc Cartha Lewis, the undisputed Calypso Queen of the World, who recently won the prestigious World Album of the Year award at the Victoire de la Musique award ceremony in France with her album, “Far From Home”, wiped her eyes as she listened to the children.

Arriving at the school just after 11 am, Rose was greeted to the sound of Leave Me Alone, which she remixed with Machel Montano this year, as students shouted out the lyrics.

As she was led into the school, several students rushed up to her asking for her autograph which she gladly provided.

Yesterday’s tribute was a twopart tribute which was organised by the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation (SGRC).

Rose said she was happy to see what the young people are doing with our culture.

“Tears were in my eyes as I listened to you here today,” she said.

Rose explained that she wrote More Tempo to open the ears and eyes of the then Carnival committee that Port-of-Spain was not the only place for mas and that there was also San Fernando.

She said it was after this that citizens were able to play mas in the South.

She said she was robbed twice of the Road March title because she is a woman. The veteran calypsonian said she was a criminologist by profession, but gave up an offer of a job with late police commissioner Randolph Burroughs. She felt she would not have been able to make the contribution she has made to the culture of this country.

Rose advised the students to respect their teachers.

“They want you to have a good education. Listen to your teachers because they are in charge of you from 8 am to 3 pm, and respect all senior citizens. I am a senior citizen, in three months I will be 77 years old,” she said.

Rose was then taken on a motorcade through the streets of Sangre Grande accompanied by a music truck which played some of her calypsoes.

She was then taken to the SGRC where she received several tokens of appreciation, including a trophy and an envelope.

The contents of the envelope were not revealed by SGRC chairman Martin Terry Rondon.