A Suzuki Swift, licensed and insured, was accepted by business executive Mrs. Jean Johnney-Findlay, acting on behalf of reigning Soca Monarch Delroy ‘Fireman’ Hooper, at a ceremony staged at Victoria Park last Tuesday afternoon.
‘Fireman’ was not on hand. He was still in New York, USA, where he participated in the West Indian Carnival parade and other related activities.
The car, valued at $43,000.00, was part of the package of prizes that also included a cash prize of $23,000.00 availed to this year’s Soca Monarch.
The Carnival Development Corporation chairman Ricardo Adams and Marketing Officer Esworth ‘Ezzie’ Roberts attended the ceremony.
‘Fireman’ dominance
Since he burst onto the scene in 1999, ‘Fireman’ has been a feature at the Soca Monarch competition. This year’s title brings his tally to 12.
A vehicle has not been a regular feature in the prize of the Soca Monarch, but when it has, ‘Fireman’ has been a frequent recipient.
He began his royal journey in 1999 with ‘Firewood’. That created a platform for titles in 2000 with ‘Anaconda’, and 2001 with ‘Spiritual’.
He surfaced to the top again in 2005 with ‘Madder than you’ and proceeded to another hat trick with victories in 2006 with ‘Wukie Wukie’ and in 2007 with ‘Charge’.
Victory eluded him until 2011 when he resurfaced with ‘Animal’. ‘Unruly’ did the trick for him in 2015 and ‘Wild’ was the winning number for 2017. ‘Amen’ was enough for him to maintain the stranglehold in 2018. He was dethroned in 2019, and a period of uncertainty led to the absence of competition in 2020 and 2021.
Things returned to a level of normalcy in 2022, and Fireman reclaimed his hold on the tile unleashing ‘Bad demons’.
He further enhanced his status and dominance, not that he needed to, by repeating victory in 2023 with ‘Madness’.
From the North Leeward district of Petit Bordel, Delroy ‘Fireman’ Hooper now resides in the North Windward town of Georgetown.
There is no doubting his national and regional appeal.
SOURCE :The Vincentian
