Broadcaster Winston Maynard remembered for his love of all things Trinidad and Tobago

Veteran Journalist Winston Maynard, left, receives his award from Lasana. - File photo

VETERAN broadcaster the late Winston Maynard was fondly remembered for his love of local music, language and generally all aspects of life in Trinidad and Tobago, mourners heard at his funeral at Hanover Methodist Church, Port of Spain, on August 6.

Tributes were paid by Justice Malcolm Holdip who is also a Carnival adjudicator and Maynard's nephew Jean-Pierre Collier.

Maynard was a radio personality and also a master of ceremonies at Carnival shows.

Holdip recalled Maynard's "impeccable enunciation" in a finest Oxford accent.

"His word carried a wisdom that still echoes in any decision I had to make."

He said Maynard showed a love for a high standard of local culture when he had founded the School of Broadcasting with announcer Holly Thomas.

"He extended encouragement, when confidence was waning, with his charges." Holdip said Maynard's guidance came with respect and support.

"His work at the radio stations was legendary – AVM, Radio 610 and Radio Trinidad.

"His laughter, his dry English humour and his knowledge of the local culture showed the expanse of his capabilities."

Holdip recalled Maynard's weekly talent showcase, Bring your music and come, as a staple then for TT's youngsters.

"Winston, even now in your absence, your love surrounds us."

He said Maynard's love also still surrounded his wife, Doreen Maynard, his fine choice of a companion.

"May your spirit continue to uplift Doreen and comfort every member of the Maynard clan whose lives you have touched in an immeasurable way."

Collier said his uncle was "an eclectic lover," whose many loves often contradicted one another, especially being raised by parents with Victorian values.

"Winston loved the language he acquired from those around him. He loved history and anthropology."

Collier said Maynard's father had also been a radio personality, "a public intellectual on radio advising on certain matters."

His father had also been headmaster of Scarborough Methodist School in Tobago. Collier said Maynard was born into a large extended family in Tobago and had moved to Trinidad at five.

"Winston loved language, Winston loved humour and Winston loved people. His love for people often goes missing in TT now.

"Winston loved everybody – from the person of lowest stature to the highest. He didn't care about stature in society.

"He became a sort of cultural anthropologist, as well as reading the news."

Collier said Maynard loved TT language, music, people, culture, history and all the nuances and details of this land.

"He spoke in a patrician accent but absolutely relished our creole English accent.

"This love of music, culture and language connected him to art and music in TT."

Collier said while Maynard's own renditions of calypso were passable, many other calypsonians befriended him and for a while in the 1980s he ran his own calypso tent.

He said Maynard had supported calypso at a time when it was viewed as forbidden, shameful and disgraceful, and was subject to anti-African sentiment.

"Winston took the kaiso and the lyrics and the picong and he brought it forward and did not elevate it necessarily but demonstrated that it was already elevated – that it was already high art, that it was already poetry worthy of Shakespeare."

Collier recalled Maynard as a lover of people.

"He was an eclectic lover. He loved everything about this place. He loved life. He loved every part of it.

"He loved the joy, he loved the singing, he loved the music, he loved the poetry, he loved the word-play, and the humour." Collier said Maynard loved his people, his country and his art.

"It is that love – spread across everything in this land – that I remember Winston in.

"It is in everything. Everywhere I go, every little thing I see, there is a reminder of him, because there was always some connection that he made to everyone and to everything."

Collier hoped all would remember Maynard by emulating him to show love to family, friends and those around them at every level of society.

Collier urged mourners to "practise the love for our culture, our music, our art, for the artists who produce it."

He added his hope "that we can love our language." Collier implored mourners, "I hope the thing we take from him, and take with us, is love."