Sir Leroy McLean ‘King Short Shirt’ Emmanuel Receives Honorary Doctor of Letters Degree from UWI

During the University’s commencement ceremony earlier Saturday, Sir McLean accepted the award donned in his red graduation gown, blue stole, and black cap.

In accepting the Degree, Sir McLean says he is both chosen and blessed to have carried the mantle of this country’s culture for more than 60 years of his life. He thanked his wife Lady Esther, his 10 children, his collaborators, and fans.

He also thanked Prime Minister Hon. Gaston Browne, Ambassador Lionel ‘Max’ Hurst, and Ms. Patricia Tully, among others.

The University of the West Indies, Five Islands, in a release says the degree, which will be conferred on a notable list of 14 recipients from the entertainment sector across the four landed campuses, “…commemorates the outstanding contributions made by these individuals to their communities and the wider society.”

The monarch as he is affectionately called won the calypso title 15 times locally and was the first to ‘three-peat’ in the annual competition 1964, 1965, and 1966.

He also has 7 regional titles and 7 road march crowns.

He first entered the calypso arena in 1962 and has since composed hundreds of calypsos some of which were sung by other calypsonians throughout the years. His popular hits included ‘Tourist Leggo’ and ‘Lamentations’.

He encouraged the other graduates on the day to committed to their chosen cause and called Antiguans and Barbudans to collaborate for the good of the nation in spite of different political leanings.

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