I WROTE a column on December 10 in which I ruminated on the subject of Guyana naming things after our dedicated patriots whose contributions in different spheres of life were immense. Two days after publication, Ron Robinson died.
I have done about four columns in which I advocated for something to be named after Ron while he was living among us. I suggested the Theatre Guild be named after him.
When we live among those who serve us, it is impeccable logic to honour these contributors while they are alive.
In this context, I welcome the new Demerara bridge being named after Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo. Shivanarine Chanderpaul has a street in his name and it was wise to do that while Mr. Chanderpaul is living among us.
The story of Ron Robinson is the tale of a legend. He was a legend of his time. This man has donated over 60 years to the theatre and radio. When I was growing up as a teenager on D’Urban Street, Wortmanville, we did not have a radio in our home.
So, we could not keep up with what was happening in Guyana. One Christmas in the 1960s, my father was given a radio and, from there on, that was what we listened to all the time.
I would never believe that the man all members of the Kissoon family listened to in the mornings, I would come to know and become his friend. Guyana looked forward to Ron Robinson in the mornings. The music I came to like when I was a teenager came from Ron in the mornings.
I came to love a haunting love song that remains one of my favourite songs of all time, through Ron Robinson. It is titled “Traces” by a now defunct group named Classics 1V. One morning, I heard him playing it, and I immediately liked it. I never knew there was an Italian saxophonist named Fausto Papetti. It was through Ron in the mornings I got to know about Papetti.
I bought every Papetti record I saw in the record shop when I was a student in Canada. I have about 25 Papetti albums in my house. I am quite willing to part with some if you want them. My cell is 614-5927. My email is fredkissoon@yahoo.com. I know vinyl is still popular in the world and is still being manufactured. People still listen to vinyl on a record player.
Thanks to listening to Ron Robinson in the mornings when I was a teenager, I got to love the saxophone melodies of Fausto Papetti. I got to know Ron well and he made two appearances on the Freddie Kissoon Show and those moments with him in the interview; I will revisit this weekend. Ron was a modest soul; his fame never got to his head and those of us who become wealthy and famous must take a leaf out of his book.
He is gone. He didn’t live to see something named after him. I am sure that is coming soon. And we should welcome it but the act of naming something after Ron Robinson should galvanise every Guyanese to urge those at the level of the Georgetown City Council and the Government of Guyana to honour the great contributors to this unique country while they are still alive.
If anyone reads the curriculum vitae of Ian Mc Donald they would be shocked to know that this man has done so much for Guyana. Mr. McDonald is in his early nineties and still doing fine.
He won the Guyana Prize last year. Let us name something after him and let’s do it quickly. Eddie Grant became our first musical superstar. Eddie is alive and thriving. He came from Plaisance. One of the most known streets in Plaisance is Prince William Street. Why not change that to Eddie Grant Street.
The essence of this column would be lost if I did not mention a certain philosophical characteristic of Ron Robinson, and that is the need to give your country something without expecting huge sums of money in return. I read an advertisement in the papers years ago of barbecue to raise funds for Ron’s medical bill. And last night (Monday), Kit Nascimento said on the Freddie Kissoon Show that President Ali agreed for the government to fund Ron’s heart operation.
This tells you the story of those who never put money in front of their work. Ron gave 60 years of service to culture in Guyana and he did not expect or receive a cent for his service. He did for Guyana what was in his heart without looking for financial rewards. This is called contribution to one’s country. This is called love for country.

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.