Mc Cartha Lewis better known as Calypso Rose has been awarded Trinidad and Tobago’s highest national award — the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (ORTT) – in culture.
The 77-year-old Tobago-born calypsonian was among two other public officials, former acting Prime Minister (in the Patrick Manning administration) Dr. Lenny Saith and Professor Courtenay Bartholomew, 85, for his work in science, including pioneering research on HIV / AIDS in the Caribbean.
In 1975, Calypso Rose won her first national award, the Public Service Medal of Merit (Silver). Some 15 years later in 2000, Rose won the Humming Bird Medal (Gold). This year she won the highest award the nation can offer.
This year has been a successful one for Rose, who copped the World Album of the Year at the Victorie de la Musquie award ceremony in France last February. That award is considered the French equivalent of a Grammy award.
In July, Caribbean Airlines (CAL) named a Boeing 737 aircraft in Rose’s honor.
She was not present at National Academy (NAPA) for the Performing Arts (NAPA) to collect her award from President Anthony Carmona. Rose is the first female calypsonian to win the Road March in 1975 with Tempo.
Among those receiving awards were veteran calypsonian Robert “Lord Nelson” (Humming Bird Gold), Soca artiste Ian “Bunji Garlin” Alvarez (Humming Bird Silver). This year the national awards were moved from Independence Day (Aug. 31) to Republic Day (Nov. 24).
