Saturday, June 14 2008

THE NATION must honour its legends and veterans of the steel pan industry while they are still alive. This was the call made by members of the Witco Desperadoes steel band as they gathered yesterday at Despers Pan Theatre in Laventille to say a final farewell to bass man Frank “Crawl” Finlay.

Finlay, 66, who played nine bass with the Desperadoes steel band for over 40 years, died instantly last Sunday when the car in which he was a passenger was struck by a police panel van under the Freeport flyover.

Members of the steel band paid tribute to Finlay by playing a number of songs at the well- attended funeral.

Finlay’s colleagues said that pan icons should not be remembered and honoured after they were dead but should receive recognition now.

The panmen also said that men like Finlay often sacrificed their personal lives for the advancement of the steel band and the steel pan industry.

As such, they said panmen like Finlay should have received remuneration for service to country in steel pan, such as a pension.

Finlay who was described by family members as “kind, generous and deeply devoted to the development of Witco Desperadoes” was also described by close friend Uline Moore as “deeply involved with the youths of the community.”

“He kept them out of trouble by training them in pan,” Moore said. Fellow Despers panman Carlon Morris described Finlay as “the rifle man and star of Desperadoes.” Commenting on the death of Finlay, Morris said, “we were robbed of the best nine bass player in the Desperadoes steel band.”

He said “the death of Crawl is a great loss, not only to Desperadoes, but to the entire community.”

Father Clive Harvey, who officiated at the service, also joined in the call for veterans like Finlay to be recognised while they were still alive.

He said, “foundations of Desperadoes steel band like Finlay deserve to be recognised, especially during their lifetime, for their generous contributions to the band, the community and the country.”

After the service, Finlay was laid to rest at the Western Cemetery in St James.