We all know that singing calypso in Barbados does not “pay the bills”. Some of our soca artists need another career or profession, and chances are unless you know them personally, you don’t know what they do when they’re offstage.
This feature exposes the “working” side of the calypsonians – the side few know about.
“I like that I am treated like a family member here and not like a celebrity.”
So says calypsonian Donella Weekes, whose day job is payroll clerk at Johnson Tours Barbados Limited.
She said she loves her job because she genuinely gets along with the people she works with.
Donella said she does not get any special treatment, but she likes the fact that that her boss can be understanding of her work as a calypsonian – when she needs time for radio appearances, all she has to do is tell him the day before.
Before Johnson Tours, she studied accounts at the Barbados Community College and then worked as a customer service representative for Barbados Business Machines and as a sales clerk at Dacosta Mannings. Donella has been employed at Johnson Tours for four-and-a-half years.
She is responsible for paying the company’s 40-plus drivers, and well as invoicing for the company’s customers.
She said even if the pay as a calypsonian was better, she would not give up her job. (NB)
