The world of marketing, public relations and communications has lost a star with the passing of Communications Specialist Simone Codrington.
When I first met Simone she was working at the National Cultural Foundation (NCF), and from then until the news rocked me of her passing, she has been that stellar example of what it means to be a communications extraordinaire.
Simone was effervescent and bubbly. She was committed and dedicated. She was thorough and efficient. She was the epitome of a professional.
The Crop Over season was as much a joy as it was a labour of love for Simone. Every year as the Coms Specialist at NCF Simone would try to outdo herself. There was no one judging Simone but she kept making it her own personal mission to better her event launches annually. Simone was a lover of fun and from May to August, her phone did not stop ringing, but never once did she answer a call or email with anything but professionalism and enthusiasm, even when she was exhausted. We would laugh whenever I would say, “How you does do this?” and she’d reply, “Girl, I ain’ know”.
Simone took event launches from the conference room at NCF to the boardrooms at sponsors’ offices, to the car parks to the streets. Simone brought in dancers, adding stiltwalkers and had the poshest bank officials in heels chipping in Warrens in her mini-jump to launch Grand Kadooment. Simone was the life of the party even during business hours. Simone’s laugh would be real and raw as she shouted, “Show some life nuh!” for the pictures and video. She was a huge Crop Over cheerleader.
Simone would come to the press launches with a full package including details that practically answered every question the media could think to pose. Many a launch was filled with, “It’s in your package. Did you get one?” or “I have yours!” From the schedule to the speeches and the background information with the previous year’s results possibly, Simone took preparation to the next level.
But Kadooment Day is when Simone Codrington shone brightest.
Watching Simone dart here and there, ensuring that the MCs had all the details about the bands and the media were in place and knew who was where and when, she was the busiest bee at the National Stadium on the first Monday in August for six to seven years. Simone would come and give us the Kadooment Encyclopedia from early o’clock. Pages upon pages, like a telephone directory pre-2022, she would give us a book with all the names, band leaders, descriptions, sections, explanations, prizes, and more. Then she’d return to help us fix the order because band two is waiting for people and going at number 13, and band 21 is going third, but you can be sure Walk Holy will be off first, followed by Blue Box Cart.
And when the morning sun was transforming to midday, Simone would say one last, “Y’all good?” And once she got those yeses, the next time we laid eyes upon her, she would be in boots, beads, and feathers running to duck under the ropes and get in her section. On a good Grand Kadooment Day she would get ready in time to cross the stage, but many a year she would run to meet her band as they went through the gate and onto the road before Combermere.
When Simone said she was no longer with NCF, it was bittersweet. I jokingly said, “Now you can get some sleep and slow right down.” Simone was at the NCF for seven years and left in March 2020. When her previous role was advertised we had a long talk and she said, “I wouldn’t have this conversation with most, but I’m glad I could help.”
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At the BWU, Simone was still efficient and helpful. The chats were not as frequent in her new role as I joked, “You don’t get many strikes these days.”
Simone will be missed. I will never forget when she went back natural, “can’t wait till my hair get like yours!”. Her laughter, her smile, her signature spectacles every time. Simone Codrington was one of a kind.
Simone passed away on December 14, 2022. My deepest sympathy and condolences to her family and friends.
Sim, sleep well and rise in glory.
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