By Kimberley Cummins on Monday, 24 February, 2020 at 10:44 AM

 Just enough is not good enough.

That was the message Barbados’ most decorated calypso monarch Dr. Stedson Wiltshire delivered to a packed house on Wednesday afternoon.

Speaking at the Barbados Community College’s (BCC) library in celebration of Black History Month, Red Plastic Bag, as he is affectionately known, shared a bit about himself and how the mindset of doing more than was required or expected was what aided his success and sustainability throughout his 40 years in music.

RPB was born and raised in a small fishing village called Bayfield located in the eastern parish of St Philip. He was the last of 10 children.  

He told members of the audience at the Howell’s Cross Road, St. Michael campus that included members of staff as well as Principal Annette Alleyne, Registrar Roger Worrell and head of the Music Department musician Roger Gittens, along with students, that his beginnings were impoverished.  He described himself as “a little boy with no shoes walking the uneven terrain by the pond”.

“But your beginning is not as important as your becoming,” the Ragga Ragga hit-maker stressed.

He would later go on to become the youngest person to ever win the Pic-O-De-Crop title and then set the record for 10 wins; he won several other titles and awards, was inducted into the Sunshine Music Hall of Fame and last October was conferred with an honourary Doctor of Letters from the University of the West Indies.

It is because of his life experiences that Bag, who is also an author and avid cricketer, wants young people to aim high and give of their best–always.

“Nowadays we tend to settle for what is just enough but we need to push beyond just enough if they are going to compete in the world today,” he urged.

“They [young people] need to recognise that they are global citizens … and not just of a 166 square miles. And the world is one big melting pot and they need to see it as their playground and theirs to conquer,” Bag encouraged.

After the address, Bag mingled with staff and viewed a display erected in his honour.