Consummate Craftsman and entertainment guru, Troy D. Roberts, is a ‘Special Person’

Oct 11, 2020 News, Special Person

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By Enid Joaquin

Kaieteur News – Words have been my best friends ever since I was a little girl…I used them to chronicle my joys, sorrows, my anger, guilt and indifference. Like good friends, they never bailed on me, that is, until my recent rendezvous with Troy “Movements” Roberts!
This entertainment guru and consummate craftsman, left me at a loss for words, as he regaled me with stories and illustrations of his talent, innovation, precision and penchant for perfection.
Speaking with obvious pride about his numerous undertakings and accomplishments, Roberts humbly acknowledged, that he owes it all to God.

And as you will see, there is much that he has to be thankful for!
Multi-talented
Roberts, our ‘Special Person’ today, has redefined what it means to be multi-talented and driven.
A former student of the Mackenzie High School and Linden Technical Institute, Roberts is a first class mechanic, a trade he no longer pursues.This is not at all surprising considering the variety of activities that he has been engaged in over the years.

Topping the list, would be his involvement with music. Roberts is the Proprietor/CEO of the popular ‘Movements Sound System’, which has for more than three decades, provided musical entertainment for social and national events, not only in Linden and Region 10, but across Guyana.
His love affair with music was nurtured ever since he was about five years old, he mused.
According to Roberts, his father Patrick, had a juke box, named silverbells, which was very popular at the time.
So it wasn’t at all surprising, when young Troy developed a passion for music, at a young age and started out playing for school parties and weddings in his teens, after his father took time out from the business.
Roberts confessed that he built his first sound system “Movements”, while at Trade school.
“Movements” made such a huge impact at parties and other events, that it soon was very much in demand.
“In those days, we used to run things, when it came to entertainment…whether it was for sports, parties, weddings or national events. We started out as Troy D. Movements, but then changed it to just Movements, because most people didn’t know what the D stood for anyhow, but we were Troy D and mix master G, for a long time. Mix master G is my nephew, but he’s more like a brother and has always been with me.”
Soon Roberts was forced to purchase more equipment, to keep up with his growing clientele.
He presently has a multi-million dollar system that includes band equipment, with the capacity to provide musical and other entertainment for 12 events simultaneously.
But don’t think for a moment, that playing music is the only thing that keeps our ‘Special Person’ up at nights.

CRAFTSMAN

 

 

A consummate craftsman, Roberts has been making model airplanes, for several years now, a hobby that is both expensive and time consuming.
So time consuming in fact, that sometimes he spends all night, working on his creations!
His first model plane, he says, cost him approximately $120,000.
He would build 48 planes, before he got one to fly, but he never gave up.
To date Roberts has built over two hundred airplanes, including a nine-foot “Batman” model, which flies. He also arguably has the largest model plane in the Caribbean. It measures 18 feet.
Reflecting on these and other accomplishments, he quipped, “In everything, I give praise and thanks to God!”
He was also high in praise for both of his parents, from whom he learnt much.
His mother, Shirlie Roberts, was self employed and did tibisiri craft and cake decorating.
Roberts related that he used to draw designs for her, and earned some money on the side for that and assisting with the actual work.
His proclivity for designing has more than paid off, as he has fashioned, a replica of the water supply system, a project for the Ministry of Health and designed and built a miniaturized version of the ill-fated Son Chapman.
His most ambitious project, to date, however, is the designing of a model of the Guyana Gold Fields mine and plant site.
“I flew in there specially to take pictures of the buildings, which I had to resize then put them to scale (for the model).”
Apart from that special assignment, Roberts said that he was also engaged several times, to provide musical entertainment for the Company.

 

FOUNDATION
Roberts’ father was a mechanic, a trade that he too later took up.
In fact, he displayed an artistic flair and a penchant for creativity from a young age. He received his formal education at the Regma Primary, the Mackenzie Primary and the Mackenzie High schools respectively. He later enrolled at the Linden Technical Institute, where he specialized in auto diesel mechanic and also learnt welding, machining and carpentry.
Unfortunately, Roberts belonged to the very first batch of students that was not absorbed by the bauxite company, as was customary in those days.
Nonetheless, he landed his first real job, with Sparta Global as a mechanic. He later became supervisor and expeditor, a position that took him overseas to purchase spare parts for the company. He spent 10 years with Sparta Global.
A sports enthusiast, Roberts is currently the reigning Billiards Champion, for the Annual Keith Moseley Billiards Tournament, and is also responsible for Movements Paint Ball…the only local paint ball organization that had original bonkers and included both the target game and the combat game or sport.

Diversification
Passionate as ever about music and designing and building, Roberts has now embarked on the process of diversification, in his efforts towards self sustainability.
“This pandemic has made me reassess things somewhat…I considered, should I just draw on my funds to take care of my needs and pay bills, or should I invest in something else, seeing that with the absence of parties and other social events, there is now no hiring out of the sound system?”
As if in answer to that question, his friend advised him, ‘Boy dis music thing ain’t look like it coming back, go commercial (with joinery).’
That piece of advice, only added fuel to the fire of creativity that was already raging within him.
“I decided to invest, so I bought some materials and plunged headlong into joinery, something I’ve always loved and did from time to time,” he said. To prove his point, Roberts showed off his beautifully designed bed, which, he said, he crafted using just a kitchen knife.
But things have changed since then, as he is now equipped with some of the best tools of the trade, thanks to his brother Gary, who he refers to as a “tool junkie” and several friends who pitched in to assist in acquiring the most needed items.
With pride, he noted that he has had a lot of practice in this new field of endeavour, having built for himself, an entire kitchen ensemble and bedroom set, among other things.
To aspiring entrepreneurs, this is what Roberts had to say, “If you have a dream, go for it, be dedicated, develop a passion, don’t just do things for the money, don’t let that be your primary focus, do things to the best of your ability. Let customer satisfaction be your mantra and the money will most certainly come.”

Latest Focus
Robert’s latest and primary focus these days, is on designing and creating uniquely beautiful and durable high-end beds, wardrobes and other household amenities.
He was high in praise of his friend Gregory Juene, a joiner with more than three decades of experience, who has been his mentor, and who encouraged him to pursue the trade.
With music and entertainment presently on the back burner, Roberts shared that his ultimate goal, is to create his own unique line of furniture, which will be branded “Movements Exquisite
Designs”.
We at Kaieteur News, take this opportunity to wish him the best, in this new venture and at the same time, bestow on him the title of ‘Special Person’.

 

 

 

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