Mikey receives the keys to his BT-50

Soca Monarch, Michael “Mikey” Mercer has officially collected the keys for his Mazda BT-50 vehicle.

The “Action Time Again” singer won the pick-up truck during the MQI 98.1 The One Soca Monarch competition held during the 2019 Crop Over Festival. Mercer accepted the keys on Wednesday from Sales Manager with MQI, Margaret Hoyte while in the MQI Showroom. Also present for the proceeding were Underwriter Manager at Brydens, Patti Carter, National Cultural Foundation’s (NCF) Adisa “Aja” Andwele and NCF’s Chief Executive Officer, Carol Roberts-Reifer.

Mercer said he will be selling the new vehicle and he will be acquiring another one.

“I will be selling but purchasing one from MQI for sure. I love it. Anyone who knows me knows I love trucks. It is really spacious; it drives really well. I test drove it and had a fantastic time but it was a real nice drive, really exciting.”
Meanwhile, Hoyte said MQI has had positive returns from sponsoring this year’s Soca Monarch.

“It has been great. Usually every time we put these vehicles out there, we are guaranteed that everybody in Barbados will see them at the end of the Crop Over season. It has been a fantastic season.”

She added, “I think for years the guys wanted us to bring in the BT-50 and I think that was a real big part of it for us this year. This BT-50 is a versatile vehicle, it is something that is used to do work with or it is something to joyride or [for] fun, whatever you want to do it is that type of vehicle. I think the guys were happy we actually put this in the show this year.”

Turning her attention to speak about the pick-up truck’s success in the local market, she said “we have not seen a real slack off on this type of vehicle.” Hoyte also shared that there has been a shift in the purchasing habits of Barbadians.

“You have seen some drop in the smaller segment cars like the 1400 cc and so on as people are moving more to SUVs and pick-ups. So you have seen a shift n the type of vehicles that are being bought.”