Chutney star Terry Gajraj on Thursday lamented being overlooked by the government and authorities here despite his years of cultural contributions.
In a post on his Facebook page, Gajraj thanked George Singh (CSM & Southex) and the people of Trinidad for honouring him with the Global Icon award. He said that he was elated, grateful and humbled to be the first Guyanese inducted into such an elite group of Chutney Soca Legends.
“I have spent my entire life promoting Guyana around the world and it is ironic that other countries are giving me awards and accolades for promoting my Guyanese culture but the government of Guyana has never even offered me an award, a recognition or even a simple ‘lie lie’ thank you for my unsurpassed service to Guyanese culture and giving Guyana a good name internationally over the past few decades”, Gajraj said.
The ‘Guyana Baboo’ singer said he is immensely thankful for the love fans have shown him steadfastly over the decades. He said that singing has always been his passion and saviour.
“2024 will be 30 years since Guyana Baboo became a sensational hit in many countries around the world. However, I have been performing internationally for 35 years plus and I have been singing extensively for over 50 years now and I am very thankful for the endless love and support I have received over the years.
“I am almost always excluded from most official Guyanese events in Guyana and honestly it’s embarrassing to tell concerned folks the truth that they simply ignore me, despite my stellar contributions to the music and culture of Guyana”, he said.
Noting that Mashramani was recently celebrated here, Gajraj said that no one invited him for one event despite the fact that he was the first Chutney-Soca singer to even record a song about Mashramani.
“I even won 1st prize for my original composition at the Mashramani creole singing competition back in Feb 16, 1985 at Leonora. In preceding years, I won runner up prizes. I am the only singer who has promoted Guyana every single week, every single month, every single year internationally for over 35 years nonstop and what do I get? Deafening disrespect”, he lamented.
In past years, he said that he would usually come here to support the singers in the chutney competition.
“Despite me being there, they would never offer me to even do a guest appearance. They would fly in non-Guyanese singers from another country to judge the competition and pay them handsomely. Even those same judges have questioned me why I am being disrespected that way. Those same judges will tell you that they are not as qualified as I am in the musical arena but I would go to meet, greet and encourage our next generation of singers. However, I am grateful that I get immense respect, across the board, from everyone in the music fraternity, regardless of nationality”, Gajraj stated.
Noting his performance with Machel Montano on October 1st for the Cricket Carnival Super Concert 2 at the stadium in Guyana, he said that persons credited the Guyana Government for making that happen.
“This did not happen because of the government, this happened despite the government trying to ignore me. Guess what? I struggled with security like a little boy at the cricket match for an opportunity to meet Machel and his Excellency, our president. As luck would have it, Mr. Machel recognized me and invited me to join him the next day on stage to sing ‘Guyana Baboo’. He said he would call me to confirm but honestly, I did not think it would materialize.
“The following day, around 7 PM, I got a call from the greatest Soca singer in the world, Mr. Machel Montano. He said he was going to take a power nap before his performance but he wanted to confirm our performance. My heart was racing. We never had a rehearsal but he is the ultimate showman and the rest is history. He was a man of his word. I’ve never done anything for him or his country, but yet he treated me with so much love and respect my heart was overflowing. It is such a conundrum that I get love and respect from dignitaries internationally for promoting my Guyanese culture, but in Guyana, the country that I spend my life promoting, I get disdain & disrespect from the powers that be”, Gajraj said.
He said that he had reached out for an opportunity to perform at the 2022 Caribbean Premier League Finals but was rejected.
“I thought it would be a good idea, especially since my songs are always playing at our sporting events to show national pride. I was disappointed at the rejection, but I was not surprised. Nothing new. Other singers were featured and the DJ played my song among a majority of non-Guyanese music. No where else in the world do you find this disparity”, Gajraj declared.
The singer said that he came from a background where he had to appreciate and be thankful for the bare necessities in life.
“We had to fetch water in buckets from neighbouring villages. We will wake up at 5 AM in the morning to fetch cowdung. We would go fishing with my Dad and to do gardening with my Mom to help out to make ends meet. So the disrespect they’re showing me will never ever break me. My parents raised me to be stronger than that. The love from my fans around the world keeps me going and makes me happy. That love conquers the hate and disrespect from the powers that be”, Gajraj added.
He said his experiences are not just about the current government but happened throughout all previous administrations.
“We have a young president and his administration have bigger fish to fry but but a chain is only as good as its’ weakest link. The people who work for us, are a reflection of whom we are. They can make us look good or in this case, really bad.
Btw, the only presidents who ever acknowledged me were the late great Dr Cheddi Jagan and Mr (David) Granger.
“ I was not even popular at the time I sang for Dr. Cheddi Jagan but he was amused that I was waving my Guyanese flag and singing Guyanese songs when everyone else were singing Bollywood songs. He personally commended me, and that was a major motivation for me to keep promoting my Guyanese culture”, Gajraj related.
He added: “I will die and leave this world some day, but my music will live on to remind them of their disgraceful bias towards a Guyanese patriot who genuinely loves his people, his country, and his culture.. ‘Yuh can tek me outta Guyana, but yuh kyan tek Guyana outta me’”.