Flashback

Clearly the Bard knew his onions. He certainly was on the money when he wrote of Julius Caesar: “The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones.”

There can be no greater proof of Shakespeare’s perspicacity than last week’s Flashback photograph. Not even Ronald ‘Boo’ Hinkson, pictured in a tee commemorating the event, was able to supply the smallest clue as to where the picture was taken, let alone the event it represents. Considering our top musician was himself a contributor to the day’s success, that’s saying a lot for Shakespeare.

But then Boo is not alone with his memory lapse. (He recognized himself, of course, and the cute guy with the camera, but not the fella shouting in his ear because of the wall-to-wall soundblasts!) Either the majority who attended are today blind and without memory—or they’re simply in no position to contribute to this discourse.)

So now let me quickly put you out of your misery, you who can barely remember whether or not you had a VAT breakfast this morning and depend on the Internet to tell you what day it is. Last week’s memory jogger that failed to jog your memory was taken on a Sunday. The 5th of June in 1988, to be precise.

Still doesn’t ring a bell, does it? The cause? An event sponsored by the St Lucia Save the Children Fund (does the group still live here?) to benefit needy and disabled kids. Lynette Seon Martial was its director. The action started around 11 a.m. and went on at full throttle till well after 6 p.m.

It was called a Mediathon. The media hosts were Dubai Richards from Radio Antilles, radio icons Julian Rogers and Vic Fernandes. And our own versatile Tony Martino who, several years ago, left the building, like Elvis. For good. Other local performers included Boo and the Tru Tones, Reasons Orchestra and the Coca Cola North Stars Steel Band. Then there were from Trinidad, then up-and-coming Machel Montano, Gypsy, Beckett and Gabby. And get this: all performed for free and without a creative industry ministry’s prompting.

The packed Mindoo Phillip Park could barely accommodate the over 7,000 enthusiasts that forked out over $100,000 for the cause of the day—a whole lotta moolah back in those wonderful pre-VAT days! I should also say there were pledges from souls across the region that remained stuck to the radios the whole time Mediathon rocked the park.

Approximately “a third of the collected amount was supposed to go toward a Choiseul school for the blind and the remainder to the established Sans Soucis school for the vision impaired.” I wonder if the Choiseul effort ever got off the ground! By the way, the guy shouting in my ear was Lenard Riviere, who went on to be attorney general (alas, like Tony Martin, also deceased). Did I mention boxing champ George Foreman also graced the event with his massive presence? He dropped a cool thousand in the LUSAVE kitty!

Now how could so many of us have forgotten such a wonderful event? Why has it not been repeated? But then, I daresay that back in the day print and electronic journalists, citizens and politicians were still capable of putting aside their differences in the best interests of the nation. Too bad we let division and hate and lesser evils win the war!

Now take your chances with our latest memory jogger!