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Reply to "Belvedere Inn, Berbice, Guyana"

Being born at Albion Front, you must know Chun Chun  Mr. Nick-Q-Sang grocery and rum shop well. Including Yollanda. My cousin Jaimangal at Guava Bush used to take tickets at the door.  The projector operator was a black guy[Belvedere Richie brother]  and me wonder if Ing is still alive ?

During the past twelve years while in Guyana, we had our foundation name stencilled on the back of dozens of cricket bats we had made at Palmaira,  The stencilling was done by Cold-Rice Harold, across from the police station.  I dislike calling him Cold Rice like others, so one day dem bhais start calling him Mr. Harold and the name stick. Because they say de bhai na cold na mo.  He hat hat now. Like the man who made us the bats, Harold was a very compassionate guy and charged us only for the material.  That was what made our program worked well, a lot of people came on board to help.

I link closely with CHS grads like John  and the late Ron Shivnarine [London]. Also Rose Hall store owner Alim Shaw son, where my sister was the manager,  before she was killed at Rose Hall Reef. I believe one of Mr. Shaw sons is a doctor associated with the University of British Columbia. His first wife is buried in Vancouver.

I photographed Rudra Nath last day  at the Rose Hall reef school in 1963, before all the teachers and students marched to the PM race course for classes, before ending up at COMPRI HS near the BSC training centre.

A number of years ago, I took two of our kids to Guyana and visited the CROWN lemonade factory.  The bottle caps had CROWN marked on them. Across  the street my father sister Aunty Finey lived. Finey was a common name, my mother Alice was also called Finey.  RH Aunty Finey was a large person, whose daughters Baby and Eunice chaperoned many weddings.

Talking about soup bowls. In Guyana I ate rice with a soup spoon. During my first Christmas in  a white person's house in Vancouver, I had one hell of time trying to figure which fork to use at Christmas dinner, with everyone watching me and I did not know who to ask.  Now when I am in Guyana, I cant eat with a soup spoon. I knew some black people living near the old PM factory who made the best black cake at Christmas time, in a large earth oven.

 

September 1967.. Would it be Sept 24  as with my arrival in Canada ?

I agree with your last sentence regarding reason for leaving Guyana. I felt the same when Guyana became independent with a PNC government.  We worked with two black ladies at Albion Estate. Before independence we were all good friends. During the riots a jeep took them home and picked them up for work, while we rode our bicycles. After independence with Burnham they became better than us and more Afro Guyanese from Fyrish and Rose Hall start working at Albion, including the office.  A bookkeeper was a black guy name  Fisher, who was given free housing, whereas,  Indians higher than him lived in their own house.

I believe the present government will do to the AFC, as Burnham did to the UF. I agree  that the sugar industry  has its challenges, but I feel better arrangements should first be placed for the workers, before closeting sugar factories.

Whether its PPP or PNC, the government don't seem to know how to embrace the efforts of people who want to assist Guyana. It seems as if they are too wrapped around themselves and you have to worship all their little kingdoms to get anything done,  to help the people.

Typical Guyanese eh.  All discussions always lead to politics. Don't have opposing views  while drinking with friends, because before too long, out comes the cutlass and picket fence..

Take care  

Tola
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