The continued promotion of Dominica and mentorship to the youth are among the top priorities of the newly appointed Cultural Ambassador, Wayne Benjamin also known as “Mr Benji N20” of the TK Band.
Benjamin’s new position took effect from the 1st of February, 2021, in accordance with an announcement by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Business and Diaspora Relations, Edward Registe, following a Cabinet decision.
According to Registe, cultural ambassadors are distinguished individuals carefully selected from various fields including, art, literature, science, entertainment, sports and other fields of public endeavour who have agreed to promote Dominica’s culture, nature and avenues for continued development.
Benjamin will hold the title for two years in the first instance, to which Benjamin says, within such time his goal is to make an impact.
“I will continue to use my platform to advocate for the youth and work with the underprivileged and be a stronger mentor within my community of Fond Cole and Dominica. I want to continue along the path of sports not just music and ensuring that my platform won’t go in vain,” he told Dominica News Online (DNO).
Benjamin said that when he heard the news of his appointment, he felt “elated and yet humbled” to have been recognised for his effort though, according to him, “I did not do any of it for the accolades.”
“ I want to say thank you to the government of Dominica for seeing it fit to bestow this upon me. I always want to thank my mom for her steady and steadfast prayers every day, my family, my two kids and my bandmates from TK international and most definitely my fans because without them there would be no Benji.”
To his colleagues in the music industry and the youths on island, he had a message of encouragement, urging them to use their platform, big or small, to promote Dominica.
“Continue to aspire because you never know who is watching and one day you too can be recognized because talent is not to be taken for granted. Of course, all of us won’t be named ambassadors but with the platform that we have we can certainly use it to promote Dominica,” Benjamin stated.
He added, “ I have been here doing music for the past 27 years as an unofficial ambassador but that didn’t stop me from representing Dominica to the best of my ability. Never once did I think that I would have been officially granted this position but it was certainly through perseverance.”
The new cultural ambassador is expected to help boost the island’s profile as a tourism and cultural destination as well as mobilize resources to assist in Dominica’s development.
Boy, Dominicans love to tear each other down. Are all these negative comments necessary. We really have a jalusie culture and most times we dont even know why we bitter…going nowhere fast smh
To appoint that boy as cultural ambassador is a kick to our shins and to represent us Dominicans abroad is an insult and you want us to praise that nonsense and stay moumou then. All I want to say to you is Chupes man! I am a Dominican but he does not represent me or my values and I am free to say so. We should aim far far higher than that.
it has nothing to do with jealousy or hate. FACTS ARE FACTS! Triple K has done nothing to “promote” our culture with them rubbish music they making. I admire their perseverance and enjoy their entertainment at times but to consider them cultural and to go as far as making Benji a cultural ambassador? y’all must be joking.
What has KKK really done for Dominica’s culture. Lyrics are lacking and the vocalist needs tuning.
ask him if he does promote Dominica with that rubbish music he making there.
nonsense.
Mr and his crew has done more to destroy Dominican culture than anything. Look at the crap for music they produce ( just noise ). Look at WCK and First Serenade years ago when they actually plaid good music and songs with more than 3 lines in the lyrics.
I would like to nominate yellow as roseau embassador?
Benji what u n the band doing is not music nor melody,its noise and there are a lot of ppl out there that can do better,but they will not get the support is ppl that singing coshoni that will get support,ppl that have potential never gets support.
Triple K music promotes Dominica’s culture 100%. Hahahah. What a lovely funny joke.
Don’t care what Edward says because all Ambassador appointments must be approved by PM and Edward is just a mouthpiece. So Benjie you call yourself TK Band now but is the same triple KKK my boy. Pig in a smoking jacket is still the same pig but is only now you realise that people may take triple KKK is KluKluxKlan. Is the same profane cochonie moron music you making. That represents Dominica on a cultural level? That is an example for our young people? Well, we doomed.
Cultural Ambassador… OMG! Only in DA!
They too busy doing stupid tictok challenges. Then again I guess they promoting that way