Carnival clean-up for Lord Kitchener statue

Carnival clean-up for Lord Kitchener statue
By Kristy Ramnarine, Trinidad Express, Tuesday, January 9th 2007

Although he is in his grave, Lord Kitchener still underwent preparations for the 2007 Carnival season yesterday. Clark and Battoo Ltd restored the Grandmaster's statue, which stands at the roundabout in St James. The statue features the legendary calypso artiste in his trademark jacket, tie and fedora.

The man behind the restoration project was Errol Peru, who was Kitchener's manager up to the calypsonian's death. "I have been observing it over a period of time and saw that the statue needed cleaning," Peru said yesterday. "Carnival and the ICC World Cup tournament are upcoming. For those events tourists would be in the country, so we wanted the statue to look its best."

Peru formed a committee in 1994 which was responsible for the construction of the statue. Pat Chu Foon, who is now deceased, sculpted the statue. At that time, Hi-Lo Food Stores funded the project and Clark and Battoo Funeral Home constructed the base. "While I was Kitchener's manager I wanted to give something to him before he died," Peru recalled yesterday. "We have a tendency of not honouring and showing respect to our cultural icons who have contributed to the development of this country. Only when they die we pay tribute to them. "It was the first time that a statue was ever erected for a calypsonian in this country."

Peru is now calling on the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&Tec) to assist in installing a spotlight on the statue. On hand to see the restoration were calypsonian Gypsy, cultural researcher, John Cupid, as well as Kitchener's partner, Valerie Greene. Greene, who is the mother Kitchener's four children, is known as the original Flag Woman. She took the stage side by side with Kitchener for four years, as his dancer for hits like "Bump", "Soul Train", "Flag Woman" and "Sugar Bum Bum". "I am really happy to see this restoration being done," Greene said.

"Next month marks seven years since Kitchener's death. The number seven is a significant number for us because he died when he was 77." Greene said the next project which will be undertaken is the restoration of Kitchener's gravesite at the Santa Rosa Cemetery in Arima. A bust of the entertainer is also on display on Hollis Avenue, Arima, not far from the Arima Municipal Stadium.