‘Friend Dem’ Vincentians mourn calypsonian’s death
er, Marie Driven, managing
partner of PlaybookMG.
Driven said Kochella’s latest
song, “Friend Dem”, is an
anthem similar to Michael
Jackson’s classic track, “We Are
The World,” in which “she calls
for people to love and adore
each other for who we are.
“An up-tempo track with a
Caribbean influence, ‘Friend
Dem’ has a dancehall beat with
an essential message about true
friendship: we come together,
and we leave together,” Driven
said.
“Her Caribbean culture and
extra Kochella flair embellish
the song and makes it her
original masterpiece,” Driven
added. “In a historical and
tragic period in time, in which
coronavirus has caused the
death of many people and risen
to poverty levels of the world
to record-breaking numbers,
songs such as ‘Friend Dem’ is
needed to put smiles on the
faces of people.
“This not only shows her
compassion towards humanity
but strong leadership skills
present in her that were similar
Caribbean L 20 ife, April 10-16, 2020
to fellow islander, icon Bob
Marley,” Driven continued.
Kochella has a few words
of encouragement for people
around the world who are suffering
from the effects of the
coronavirus epidemic – physically,
mentally, or emotionally.
“Man, it doesn’t matter
the skin complexion, societal
status, age, race, or religion;
this virus is affecting EVERYBODY!”
she underscored. “We
are all trapped in the house,
doing our best to practice social
distancing and surviving.
“We need to come together
as people and tackle this
issue with a plethora of positivity,”
she added. “It’s crazy how
this song was made months in
advance before the outbreak,
but it’s still relevant today.
“I hope this song goes a long
way to put smiles on people’s
faces and have them unify as
one people during these dark
times,” she continued.
Driven said the powerful
words of the fashionable Drip
Queen “speak tremendously,
not only about her character
but about a message that the
people of the earth need to
know.”
Jimmy Fallon of ‘The
Tonight Show’, Jimmy Kimmel
of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ and
Stephen Colbert of ‘The Late
Show with Stephen Colbert,’
will host the event, with friends
from Sesame Street on hand
to unify and inspire people to
support the global COVID-19
response.
The UN said funding pledges
from philanthropists and corporate
partners will go to the
COVID-19 Solidarity Response
Fund for WHO to equip frontline
health care workers with
masks, gowns and other vital
equipment — as well as to
local charities providing food,
shelter and healthcare to those
most in need.
UN Secretary-General
António Guterres stressed that
the entire UN system is fully
mobilized, supporting country
responses, placing supply
chains at the world’s disposal
and advocating for a global
ceasefire.
“We are proud to join forces
with ‘One World: Together At
Home’ to help suppress the
transmission of the virus, minimize
social-economic impacts
on the global community and
work together now to advance
Global Goals for the future”, he
said. “We are in this together
and we will get through this
together.”
Hugh Evans, co-founder and
chief executive officer of Global
Citizen, said the broadcast
aims to be a source of unity and
encouragement.
“Through music, entertainment
and impact, the global
live-cast will celebrate those
who risk their own health to
safeguard everyone else’s”, he
said.
Speaking at a press conference
in Geneva, Dr. Ghebreyesus
announced that WHO is
issuing guidance and criteria
to help countries decide
whether to recommend the use
of medical and non-medical
masks to prevent the spread of
COVID-19.
“First and foremost, medical
masks must be prioritized
for health workers on the front
lines of the response,” he said,
expressing concern that the
mass use of medical masks by
the general population could
exacerbate the global shortage
for people who need them
most. “In some places, these
shortages are putting health
workers in real danger.”
In healthcare facilities, he
Musician John Legend performs at a campaign Get Out the
Vote Event with Democratic 2020 U.S. presidential candidate
and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in Charleston,
South Carolina, U.S., Feb. 26, 2020.
REUTERS / Brian Snyder
said WHO continues to recommend
the use of medical
masks, respirators and other
personal protective equipment
for health workers.
In the community, it recommended
the use of medical
masks by people who are sick
and those caring for a sick person
at home.
Dr. Ghebreyesus said countries
could consider using
masks in communities where
other measures – such as
cleaning hands and physical
distancing – are more difficult
to achieve because of lack of
water or cramped living conditions.
He said masks, if worn, must
be used safely, adding that
WHO has guidance on how to
put on, take off and dispose of
masks.
“What is clear is that there is
limited research in this area,”
Dr. Ghebreyesus said, urging
countries considering the use
of masks for the general population
to study their effectiveness.
“Mask or no mask, there are
proven things all of us can do to
protect ourselves and others -–
keep your distance, clean your
hands, cough or sneeze into
your elbow, and avoid touching
your face,” he said.
“One World: Together At
Home” will be broadcast live
on April 18, 2020 at 5:00 p.m.
PDT/8:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 a.m.
GMT, airing on ABC, NBC,
ViacomCBS Networks, iHeart-
Media and Bell Media networks
and platforms in Canada.
Internationally, UK-based
channel BBC One will run a
version of the program on April
19, 2020.
Additional international
broadcasters include beIN
Media Group, MultiChoice
Group and RTE.
It will also be a multi-hour
digital broadcast streaming
online on multiple global
platforms, including: Alibaba,
Amazon Prime Video, Apple,
Facebook, Instagram, LiveXLive,
Tencent, Tencent Music
Entertainment Group, TIDAL,
TuneIn, Twitch, Twitter, Yahoo
and YouTube, the UN said.
Continued from Page 19
Continued from Page 19
passing this morning, April 8,
2020, of our brother in culture
and co-founder of our organization,”
Providence, who was
elected president of the Dynamites
Calypso Tent in November
last year, told Caribbean
Life Wednesday evening.
“We would forever cherish
the many wonderful memories
we shared throughout his life,
more so, our visit with him
last Christmas, and on Jan.
11, 2020, his birthday,” Providence
added. “To his pleasant
surprise, we turned up at the
hospital and held a wonderful
birthday party for him.
“This, clearly, was one
of his happiest moments in
recent time,” he continued.
“He would be sadly missed.
The members of the Dynamites
extend sincere condolence
to his wife, family and
friends.”
Providence said Kennedy’s
first “big year” in the calypso
arena was in 1976, when he
sang “Frustration,” “which
took him to the calypso monarch
finals” in the national
Calypso Competition in St.
Vincent and the Grenadines.
Soon after, Providence said
Kennedy migrated to the US
and served in the Armed Forces.
From 2001 to 2006, Providence
said he and Kennedy
competed in Caribbean calypso
shows in Washington, D.C.;
Baltimore, MD; and Miami,
Fl.
Continued from Page 19
ONE WORLD
Vincent “Groovy D” Kennedy in wheelchair and with Dynamites
Calypso Tent Vice President Atiba Williams; Back
row, left to right; Franklin “Super Dex” Richards and Earl
“Exposer” Isles. Dynamites Calypso Tent