Bunji: “When you have a family, there’s no longer a thing as MY win!” Road March champ fires back

“[…] Our family will have our names on everything together just like cooperate institutes, groceries, shops, stores and other businesses.

“And if that is a problem for you then… there’s cliffs all over the island that have no barriers and no need for parachutes. Feel free…”

The following is a social media statement by Ian “Bunji Garlin” Alvarez in response to questions on the award of the 2023 Visit Trinidad Road March crown for the hit song Hard Fete, which is shared by Bunji and his wife and fellow soca star Fay-Ann Lyons-Alvarez:

Soca stars Fay-Ann Alvarez-Lyons (left) and husband Bunji Garlin at Oistins in Barbados.

“[…] Plain talk, if I were a male whore no one would have a single thing to say. Plain talk, if we were any other race the narrative would be ‘you see how they does do it’. But be of the darker hue and put things in perspective and everything gets questioned.

“This is our family, this is our business, and we will do our work to make sure what we do affects our family in the positive and our lineage coming after.

“So, if you don’t see me complaining about something, then do not lose your place and complain for me…”

— Bunji Garlin, as quoted in a Trinidad Express interview by Michael Mondezie.

I said this (above) in an interview that was published today and I meant EVERY SINGLE WORD of what I said in there. My family will continue to work and build as a family. It’s as simple as that.

Soca star and 2023 Road March champ Ian “Bunji Garlin” Alvarez.
(Copyright David Allen Photography)

Our family will have our names on everything together just like cooperate institutes, groceries, shops, stores and other businesses. And if that is a problem for you then… there’s cliffs all over the island that have no barriers and no need for parachutes. Feel free.

In our family when you work you will have your credit showed to the world because here your work is valued.

It is sad that for generations we sat and watched our mothers who have gifts and talents be sidelined and told to take the back seat because the man of the house should be the only title bearer and the only champion.

Imagine generation after generation looking at that so this is just learnt behaviour coming through. Like we forget the Spartans and the Vikings and the Zulus and other peoples through history that had warrior queens that stood in battle with their kings.

Fay-Ann Lyons-Alvarez had three Road March crowns before the 2023 Carnival season.

Lastly the fact that so many women are guilty of executing this thing where women have no place in being in the winning space as their men is a serious piece of brainwashing and illiteracy happening in this time, and at some point we’re going to have to rescue our kids from this.

My contribution to the discussion is this. If you run your house by telling your women to sit back, then go home and do that with your ‘insignificant’ other and keep very far from me.

But as long as I exist my win at anything in this life will be @fayannlyons win and Syri Lyons-Alvarez win as well.

Had we been any other race, we would’ve been heaped with praises: ‘watch how them so and so does do it and cover for each other’.

Power soca couple Fay-Ann Lyons-Alvarez (left) and Bunji Garlin perform in Anguilla in 2021.
(Copyright Marzsim Visuals)

Please be advised, it isn’t too late to escape the notion of selfishness in victory. When you have a family, there’s no longer a thing as my win or my gain or my moment.

Our society is one that will praise you for sharing your win with a set of friends who probably planning to kill you. But when you share that win with your own family you are accused of only thinking about your family.

Well in this case I AM ONLY THINKING ABOUT MY FAMILY!!! Cheers.

Editor’s Note: Click HERE to read TUCO president Ainsley King’s take on the talking points of the 2023 Road March title race.

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17 comments

  1. Behind every great man is a great woman. There is no greater man than the man wo can acknowledge the woman standing beside him. May God continue to bless your family.

  2. When fayann lyons won she never said that that win was hers but what ever u say Mr lyons we all know who really wearing the pants good luck to you and yours

  3. In a healthy relationship spouses will view things differently and over time there love and admiration should also blossom for one another, in such an environment both party’s change to adapt and support eachother. A man that is a true leader lives by example and I commend his remarks. Family unity and exponential expansion needs to be number 1 again in our communities and neighborhoods.
    We cannot depend on the school system or religious establishments to properly educate our children.
    Parents have to invest business mindset, entrepreneurship, modesty and respect in there children at a young age.
    The correctional facilities will no longer be overflowing with convicts when parents pull there weight and put there children before the bag, gossip and brainwashing entertaining films that teach us immoral values and poor conduct.

  4. Benji….yuh dam right. Let dem talk. Stay focused. Tks to both of u for giving us a road March that didn’t involve lyrics bout a woman body parts, wining skills or thirsty man thoughts. Ah so tired of “one topic” soca.

    Everybody else……..stay out de people marriage and just enjoy de dam music nah.

  5. NUFF SAID!! ❤️❤️

  6. Wish I saw this same energy when she won but say wat there’s always one person in the relationship that thinks like that and the other dnt…she herself was saying UT on the tik tok she has 3 BY HERSELF so I dnt know why he coming to correct us correct her.

  7. I have so much admiration for this couple and Faye Ann is definitely the driving force behind her husband, and vice versa, they support each other. Faye Ann puts in the work and rides hard for her man …she’s gorgeous talented and intelligent…..respect!

  8. BOOM. Nuff said.

  9. At last so instead of wearing Paris on a t shirt it should say Bunji-Faye just a suggestion

  10. “Lastly the fact that so many women are guilty of executing this thing where women have no place in being in the winning space as their men is a serious piece of brainwashing and illiteracy happening in this time, and at some point we’re going to have to rescue our kids from this.”

    HUA! Big up Viking family…Idek why this is a thing…can’t we just accept that she is the co-winner and be done with it?

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