Build a statue of Sonny Mann

A CALL was made yesterday for chutney icon Sonny Mann to be immortalised with a monument in his village of Caparo, and for his memoirs to be catalogued for posterity and future research in the national socio-cultural development. Councillor Paras Ramoutar issued the call while delivering the eulogy at Mann’s funeral service held at the deceased singer’s home in Caparo yesterday. Ramoutar said Mann’s contribution was an important and radical development which spoke volumes on the growing maturity and universality of West Indian heritage, literature and vision.

“It will be a fitting tribute for his contribution that the Government of Trinidad and Tobago considers some form of honour in his memory — a monument at Sonny Mann park, in Caparo, perhaps.” “Additionally we call on Government to award national scholarships in the field of culture in his name. Further, we call on the Government to provide a grant for someone to write his memoirs and catalogue his numerous works for posterity and for future research in the socio-cultural development in our country,” Ramoutar said.

Mann shot to fame in 1995 when he won the first ever Chutney/Soca Monarch with his composition “Lotay La.” However, he has been in the chutney field for over 35 years. The Local Government councillor reminded mourners that former prime minister Basdeo Panday had lauded Mann as a “catalytic and pivotal figure towards cross-culturalisation of the music as a step in the direction of national unity.” Mann died on Saturday after a brief illness at the age of 71. Following a funeral service at his home, he was cremated at the Waterloo Cremation Site.