‘Smokey’ dies in Miami hospital

Popular St James businessman, “Smokey” (Ricardo McKenzie), of Smokey and Bunty’s, died yesterday afternoon at Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, where he was hospitalised for the past five months.
Relatives are still awaiting his doctor’s report stating the cause of death, his brother, bandleader Ian McKenzie, said yesterday. He would have turned 57 on December 30,

A sorrowful McKenzie, who spoke shortly after he heard the news, said: “He died with two of his daughters and his wife at his bedside.” McKenzie said his brother had two operations for cancer at Westshore Medical and St Clair Nursing Home in T&T before he went to Jackson Memorial. He added: “He had one in September last year and one in June this year. After the two operations in T&T, he was exercising and running. All the cancer was gone.

“When he died nothing was wrong with any of his organs.” McKenzie said his brother started Smokey and Bunty’s, an established drinking spot in St James at the corner of Dengue Street and Western Main Road, from scratch some 20-plus years ago. “Smokey”, the second to last in a family of 17 children was born in Belmont. He spent the rest of his life in Diego Martin and St James. He has three daughters and a grandson.
His longstanding business partner “Bunty” (Renaldo Munroe) could not be contacted.