Newsletter
for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and
Tobago, W.I.
Caracas,
18 February 2012 No.537
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear
Friends,
I
am planning to fly to Trinidad and spend a few days during the time
Don Mitchell is there, so to be able to meet him after 40 years.
Thursday
17 to Tuesday 22 May inclusive
Also
during the weekend, there is a plan by some of the Venezuelan old
boys to fly in, maybe 6 oldboys of the 1958.
This
is general information to let the old boys know and maybe we could
have a meeting at the same time. Please let me know your opinion.
---------------------------------------------
Saturday,
January 14, 2012 4:02 PM
Hi
Ladislao,
I
suspect the wedding is meant for close relatives and young friends of
the couple.
I
just barely qualify under the first heading, but definitely not under
the second.
In
your case I would have to smuggle you in under one of the two heads!!
That
would be difficult.
Mind
you, if you would be in Trinidad around that time, it would be
wonderful to see you again.
We
might go and pay a visit on Dennis Gurley QC.
What
I really meant to write was, if I get to meet any of the Old Boys
while I am in Trinidad, would you have any message for me to give
them!
Keep
well.
Don
(I
understood you completely, but I wanted to get you worried, editor)
-----
Original Message -----
Sent:
Saturday,
January 14, 2012 10:04 AM
Dear
Don
Make
me a reservation in case I get invited, jajajaja.
Can
you???
ladislao
---------------------------------------------------------------.
Sent:
Saturday,
January 7, 2012 1:02 PM
Hola,
Ladislao,
My
brother Gordon's eldest boy Ryan is getting married in Trinidad on
Saturday 19 May.
So,
I am going to be in Port of Spain from Thursday 17 to Tuesday 22 May
inclusive.
I
hope to be staying at Alecia's Place in Cascade.
Do
you have any messages for me to deliver for you?
If
I could have a drink with any of the Old Boys while I am there
(except on the Saturday) that would be wonderful.
Please
publish this note for me in your excellent Circular sometime soon.
Muchas
gracias.
Don
---------------------------------------------------------------.
Thursday,
February 2, 2012 9:51 AM
Hello
Robert,
Yes,
Maggie and I are presently living in Anguilla.
We
built our home on a lot of land at North Hill given to us by my
mother, who is also living nearby.
She
is now 86 and getting a bit frail.
We
lived and worked in St Kitts from 1971 to 1976, but then politics
encouraged us to move in 1976 to Anguilla where I have even more
cousins than I have in St Kitts.
I
practised as a barrister and solicitor until 1999 when I retired to
join the bench.
I
have passed the mandatory retirement age of 65 for the Eastern
Caribbean Supreme Court, but have been asked to stay on in an acting
position, so I am still in harness so to say.
This
week we are sitting in Grenada.
Next
week I have three judgements to write.
Then,
we are off to Saint Lucia.
We
spend basically one week sitting in one of the nine states and
territories of the OECS, and one week at home writing judgements.
It
is very disruptive state of affairs and best suited for persons who
already have a dysfunctional personal life, or preferably none at
all.
How
most of our judges manage to survive and thrive while remaining
happily married I have no idea.
I
have been lucky to do so, due to the patience and intelligence of my
spouse.
The
Huggins family was prominent in Nevis during the eighteenth and early
nineteenth centuries.
Edward
Huggins (1755-1829) was the subject of much controversy, and there
were several pamphlets published about him.
See
my West Indian Bibliography at
for
more under his name.
What
did you do after Centeno?
Don
-----------------------------------------------------------.
Monday,
January 16, 2012 4:44 PM
Dear
Shaun (A Future Guide),
To
the younger Knights, who may have missed some of the Story, this is
for you, ha! ha!,
Have
a good day, Knights of Light.
Have
a wonderful Life.
Best
Regards,
Glen
Mckoy
-------------------
Date:
Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:47:10 +0000
THE
KNIGHT OF DREAMS. (THE TRANSLATOR-from the book "The King of
Hearts")
Once
upon a time, many moons ago, a boy from a faraway country came to the
mount.
His
name, and the exact time this boy attended, cannot be written or
revealed, and has only been passed down, in the sacred secret circle
of a few.
The
dreamer parents brought him from Eastern Europe, hoping that the
tranquillity of the location of the Abbey School Mt. St. Benedict,
under the supervision of the monks, would be an ideal environment for
their son's intense nightmares/dreams.
In
the hope, that it would be less frequent, and eventually stop.
Fr.
Bobo welcomed the dreamer and his parents to his office, assuring
them, that they had made the right decision in bringing their son to
the Abbey School.
He
told them that they will monitor their son's situation and with all
the physical activities, e.g., football, tennis, swimming, volley
ball etc. for the boys on the mount, it is a good way, to a good
night sleep.
A
Dutch Monk who also teaches French, and is well versed, in such
studies of the brain, will be assigned to record his dream patterns,
moods, diet & events prior to and after the dreams, results of
these records, will be forwarded.
Fr.
Bobo said good bye to the boy's parents, as they drove away in the
taxi.
Bobo
told the dreamer that a Prefect will show him around the surroundings
and will help him get settled in.
The
Dutch monk shall contact you, in a few days, I want you, to
participate in as many sports, as you can, now go on out there, and
make new friends.
My
office is always open, if you need me.
The
boy said good bye and left with the Prefect.
The
Prefect, a Trinidadian boy of English stock, dirty blond, dark tan, a
hard looking boy, didn’t say a word, as they walked through the
corridors of the floors, as all the boys, they passed, just stared,
at the boy who dare comes here.
The
Prefect showed him his cubical, and told him he would show him the
facilities, when he was unpacked.
As
the months went by, the dreamer made a few class mates, he took
swimming and was playing football for a house team.
He
reported to the Dutch monk Fr. A, once a week, and his dreams had
lessened, and he was living the life, like the rest of boys his age.
One
day the dreamer and a friend, from the south side of Trinidad, were
walking to the back of the buildings, going down to the monastery,
when they heard this moaning and shouting coming from a window up
above, they crept up the incline to investigate the situation, as
they drew closer, they could hear a voice, shouting get out, get out,
and prays in Latin, they had accidentally stumbled on a rite, that is
not seen or known to many, but was performed on the mount, as good
Catholics boys, and scared like hell, they slowly got out of the
area, they never spoke of this incident again, not even in
confession.
The
dreamer had bad dreams, for the rest of that week, the Dutch monk
assured him it may only be a short spell, and he should be doing well
again, he asked him, if anything had upset him recently, the dreamer
said no.
For
the rest of week the dreamer would just sit and stare at the
mountains, one Saturday he noticed a few boys going up to Mt. Tador,
to that place they called "White Stones" , as he looked
carefully he noticed three eagles circling around the boys on top of
the mountain, it seem like the eagles were coming down and the boys
were feeding them, he could not believe his eyes, and only then,
realized how much was going on around him, in this Dutch Enclave of
Mt. St. Benedict, that he never noticed before, that the mountains,
are alive, around him.
That
night he had a few dreams, his first dream, he saw four boys going up
the mountain of Mt. Tador, then he saw another boy hiding and
following the four up the hill, then out of the bushes, another boy
jumps out, and drops the boy, who was following the other boys on the
ground, and then screams for the others on the top, they ran down
immediately, they grab the young man and drag him down the hill, they
got a barrel out from behind the scout room, and they pushed the boy
into the barrel, and roll it down the hill, a message to future
spies, as the barrel pass the refectory going down the hill, it
turned to the left and crashed into the big stone wall, the boy
crawled out and ran for his life.
The
knights laugh so much that day, and the boy never said anything to
the monks, the next day, they took this boy to "White Stones"
in a sacred, secret circle, in the power of one, they made him The
Knight of Courage.
The
dreamer recognized the boy, who was in that barrel, a few years older
now, but he is, the boy they call Chico, his real name is, Fernando.
The
Dreamer was pleased, as he could place this dream, within his life
time, as many of his dreams, are of the future or of times long gone
and the ones from the dark side, made him pray a lot.
In
the 4th, month of his 1st. year, one night, after hanging out at the
basketball court, the dreamer saw this older boy standing by the
hedges alone, he approached the older boy and said, excuse me
Fernando, may I have a word with you ??
Fernando
turned and looked at the tall lean, pale looking boy, and said, it
better be good, because you just broke into my space, while I was
trying to absorb the night sky, and to every action, there is a
reaction.
This
made the dreamer very nervous, as he quickly replied, Fernando, I am
sorry, for disturbing you, and I would not contact a senior boy like
yourself, unless it was of the utmost importance.
Fernando
said o.k, let’s go over by the stone wall over there, they sat down
on the bench, it was a quiet night, as the dreamer begins, His-Story.
Fernando,
what I am going to tell you, you will always remember for the rest of
your life.
I
have complete trust in you, it will be shocking and you will
understand, as we go on this journey of our history on the Mount,
many decades from now.
Please
listen to what I have to say, and in the end, only you will know, if
it’s the real McKoy.
You
would not know this, but I suffer from nightmares, well its more than
that, they are dreams that are real, some are past, present and
future, many times I do not know the faces or the places, but
sometimes they are close to home.
Recently,
they have been about the Mount, and I have seen you in some of my
dreams, he then told Fernando of his dream, of him becoming a Knight.
Fernando
remained quiet, for a few moments, then said, tell me more.
In
one dream, I saw a chest buried on top of that mountain, you all call
"White Stones."
In
that chest, there are precious metals, a manuscript from a Jesuit
Monk, a golden candle stand, from this secret, sacred, circle of one,
from that magical moment, when the knights were formed.
There
were also medals, photos, amazing stories, tales, circulars,
chronicles and legends, from the 1st. Knights of decades gone, and
more to be added, in decades to come.
Also
copies of all that was written, in a book to come, called the "
King of Hearts " which will be kept in The Bunker.
In
1956, 10 years after the first knights started, digging and drilling
into one of the sides of Mt. Tador, they had finally completed their
secret atomic shelter, with running water and lights.
This
bunker was also built out of fear, of what was happening in their
world at that time, as the superpowers, race towards the moon.
And
the constant threat, of some idiot pushing a button, their last
resort was the bunker and shortwave radio.
This
Secret Bunker, only ever seen by the" Eyes of Knights", the
Forever Hidden Room, 15' x 20 ', built of steel rebar, wire mesh,
bricks, & stones were used above and around the entire room,
which had a whole mountain above it.
The
small cement mixer, made the project seem like forever. In the
entrance of the bunker, stands a big black metal door 6' tall, with a
brass lion head, with a peep hole in the mouth of the lion.
Under
the lion's head, in red paint is written," Where only Eagles
dare, The Knights of White Stones," eight feet ahead, you are
right in the heart, of the emerald forest of Mt Tabor.
Looking
down into the steep valley below, and only then, you realize, the
journey of a Knight, is exceeding difficult, of blood, sweat and
tears, forever hidden.
The
Knights who took part in the early construction, had to climb down a
rope ladder to work on the room, until an easier access was made.
Twenty
feet ahead, from the entrance in front of these, two huge trees, the
knights made a secure stone path, which made it much faster, getting
up and down this valley ledge to White Stones, where no one, will
dare go, where only eagles fly, this drop is steep, the Knights were
brilliant, in choosing this location, a place where only the snakes,
scorpions and the eagles in the sky know, will never be found, The
Bunker. MSB.
I
also know you will make me a Knight before the next full moon.
I
saw this in a dream, as I become the Translator of the Jesuit
manuscripts from Latin to English.
I
will write all this information in a book that will be called "The
King of Hearts" Some dreams I cannot reveal, that's why
sometimes you see me, sitting alone staring at the mountains, at the
back of the school.
Fernando,
many great minds will come from this time capsule.
This
sacred school will not see the great year 2000.
So,
you see everything that happened, since the school opened and when it
closes, it will become a National and Historical Treasure to this
island of Trinidad, the wonderful minds and the leaders, where the
foundation of a youth, was shaped and created, at the "Abbey
School” Mt. St. Benedict on Mt.Tador.
We
have lots of work to do................(more to come).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------.
Date:
Sun, 5 Feb 2012 06:35:31 +0000
Dear
David,
Y
De Lima, It was the best, it is one of the few shops that made
Port-of-Spain, I remember going there with my mother when I was a
boy.
I
believe my father who imported Seiko watches did business with De
Lima also.
Well
it’s really good to know members of that great family, are right
here now.
Welcome
to the Club Mi Amigos.
Best
regards Glen.
--------------------------------------------------------------------.
Subject:
FW: Y. De Lima
Date:
Sat, 4 Feb 2012 11:45:05 -0500
HI,
VERY
INTERESTING.
MY
FIRST WIFE ALSO WORKED at De Lima´s.
"BANDIT"
--------------------------------------------------------------------.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Photos:
Mount
Inside MARCH 1966 page 8
09DB0004MSB,
From David Basanta´s house
74SG0001CLASS1978,
Please check out the names.
AG,
DPP GET SILK
by
Andre Bagoo Friday, December 30 2011
PRIME
MINISTER Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the first lawyer to fill the post of
prime minister in almost a decade, has invoked special powers
attached to her office to bestow upon herself, Attorney General Anand
Ramlogan and 14 legal luminaries the title of silk, elevating all to
the status of senior counsel, the highest level of the local bar.
In
a letter to President George Maxwell Richards, which has been
obtained by Newsday, the Prime Minister yesterday informed the
President that she will take silk alongside Ramlogan, pursuant to
controversial rules, in place since 1964, which give the Prime
Minister the final say over which members of the legal fraternity are
elevated to the rank of senior counsel (SC).
Roger
Gaspard, Director of Public Prosecutions Eleanor J
Donaldson-Honeywell, Solicitor General
A
full list of all persons who were made silk, upon recommendation by
the Attorney General and approval by the Prime Minister, was
forwarded to President’s House.
The
key figures on the list of 16 lawyers include: Director of Public
Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard, former Speaker of the House Barry
Sinanan, Chief Justice Ivor Archie and Justice of Appeal Wendell
Kangaloo.
Attorneys
on the list included: Surendranath Capildeo, Sophia Chote, Stephanie
Daly, Vernon De Lima, Christo Gift and Dennis Gurley. Solicitor
General Eleanor J Donaldson-Honeywell and chairman of the Law Reform
Commission Samraj Harripaul were also made silk.
President
George Maxwell Richards will issue their letters of appointment as
senior counsels to them at Knowsley, Port-of-Spain at 11 am today.
The
last time persons were made silk was in 2006.
While
the process of selection of silk has traditionally been murky, it is
understood that a list of candidates is recommended by the Attorney
General and minister in charge of legal affairs for final approval by
the Prime Minister.
The
Prime Minister is said to normally consult with the Chief Justice, as
well as legal bodies such as the Law Association and the Criminal Bar
Association.
A
basic qualification for the post is having a legal practice which has
extended beyond ten years.
Chairman of the law Reform
Commission (R), Samraj Harripaul
with Attorney General, Anand
Ramlogan (R) and Pamela Elder, S.C.
In
November 2000, then Attorney General Ramesh Maharaj, who later made
himself silk, invited applications for appointment to senior counsel
in an apparent attempt to make the process more transparent.
In
a notice published in the Gazette that year, applicants were informed
that the candidates needed to demonstrate several requirements
including “total professional integrity”.
The
requirements included:
“(a)
professional eminence and distinction which establishes them as
leaders of the profession; (b) sound intellectual ability and a
thorough, comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge of law and practice
in the fields in which they practise; (c) outstanding ability as an
advocate in the higher courts.”
Other
requirements were:
“(d)
the highest professional standing, having gained the respect of the
Bench and the profession in observing the advocate’s duty to the
court and to the administration of justice while presenting their
client’s case and being formidable, fair and honourable as an
opponent; (e) total professional integrity; (f) maturity of judgment
and balance” as well as “(g) a high quality practice with at
least ten years experience and one based on demanding cases which
allow the full measure of the above qualities to be demonstrated.”
The
recent appointments did not appear to come after any form of
advertising.
The
title of silk entitles holders to certain privileges including:
seating priority at the first row of the inner bar, red bags, silk
robes. Some silks command higher fees. Silks also must generally
appear with juniors, an economic factor which results in higher
costs.
Persad-Bissessar
becomes the first attorney-prime minister to award herself the title,
since ANR Robinson reportedly did so during his tenure. Robinson had
been called to the bar in 1955, before becoming Prime Minister in
1986.
Persad-Bissessar
was called to the bar in October 1987.
One
case she was involved in was a case involving squatter’s rights in
which the Land Settlement Agency was found to have been acting, for
years, outside of its legal powers. However, she is not known
exclusively for her legal practice, having also had a career in legal
education, lecturing in law at one point. She was made Attorney
General, briefly, in 1995.
Traditionally
Attorneys General also award themselves silk.
Former
Attorneys General who did so included: John Jeremie, Ramesh Lawrence
Maharaj, Keith Sobion and Selwyn Richardson.
Former
Attorney General Bridgid Annisette-George, who served for 18 months
before abruptly quitting office, is understood to have not taken
silk. Former NAR Attorney General Anthony Smart also did not take
silk during his tenure.
Ramlogan
has had a large practice at the bar and had appeared in more than 40
Privy Council cases, 19 Court of Appeal cases, and 45 High Court
cases.
Additionally
he has appeared before the Caribbean Court of Justice. For months,
speculation over who would be made silk ran rampant among legal
circles.
There
had also been a call from one silk, Israel Khan, for Nizam Mohammed,
the sacked head of the Police Service Commission, to be made silk.
Mohammed’s name was not on the list sent to President’s House
yesterday.
Khan
yesterday said the bestowing of silk was “long overdue”.
“From
the names mentioned I must say the award of silk appeared to be based
on merit, ability and integrity,” he said. “Having said that I
must say that I am a bit disappointed that only two members from the
criminal bar have ben awarded silk and one is a retired
practitioner.”
While
the final say on the matter lay with the Prime Minister, Khan argued
that the list of lawyers made silk demonstrated that political
affiliation was not a consideration.
“It
is good to see that political affiliation has not prevented any
particular person from getting silk,” he argued, citing the award
of silk to the Solicitor General, who is a relative of former PNM
vice-chairman John Donaldson. “It was not held against her.”
Additionally,
Khan said, “Barry Sinanan was a PNM-appointed Speaker. But in his
own right he deserved silk.”
Asked
if the process of the appointment of silk should not be made more
transparent, Khan said, “They don’t have to advertise this thing.
Ramesh Maharaj introduced this thing where you must apply.” Khan
said the process involves consultation with the Chief Justice as well
as president of the Law Association and other legal bodies. “But it
is the Attorney General who draws the list up,” he said. Khan said
it was “unfortunate” that Mohammed was not awarded silk.
Pres
appoints 16 new Senior Counsel today
...Kamla,
Anand among those elevated
Published:
Friday,
December 30, 2011
Attorneys-at-law
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Attorney General Anand
Ramlogan, Chief Justice Ivor Archie and Director of Public
Prosecutions Roger Gaspard are among 16 who will be appointed Senior
Counsel (SC) by President George Maxwell Richards today. The 16-name
list was proposed by Ramlogan and approved by Persad-Bissessar
yesterday. The heads of four arms of the Attorney General’s
office—Solicitor General Eleanor Donaldson-Honeywell, chairman of
the Law Reform Commission and former magistrate Samraj Harripaul,
Chief Parliamentary Counsel Ian MacIntyre, which include DPP
Gaspard—will also be given silk. They list also includes former
speaker of the House Barry Sinnanan, Justice of Appeal Wendell
Kangaloo, founding member of the Congress of the People (COP) Vernon
de Lima, Stephanie Daly, Dennis Gurley, Christo Gift, Surrendranth
Capildeo, Sophia Chote and Norma Maynard-Marshall.
Ramlogan,
this country’s youngest Attorney General, has followed in footsteps
of former Attorneys General Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj and John Jeremie
who recommended themselves for silk while in office. Former Attorneys
General Glenda Morean-Phillips and Bridgid Annisette-George did not
give themselves silk. Contacted yesterday, Ramlogan chose not to
answer questions on the matter. Senior Counsel Israel Khan said
despite his age Ramlogan was deserving of silk, having been
involved in about 40 matters at the Privy Council, and numerous in
the local courts. “Despite being an office-holder, he should have
been given silk on his own merit and ability,” he said. Khan said
while Archie was a “young, bright Chief Justice,” there was
precedent as was the case with former Chief Justice Clinton Bernard.
In the Prime Minister’s case, Khan observed there was precedent set
as ANR Robinson was granted silk while in office.
President
of the Law Association Dana Seetahal, SC, said achieving silk status
was an achievement for attorneys and given to select few. She
said some of the requirements for achieving silk were that senior
attorneys had ten years in practices, be well respected at the Bar,
excelled at their profession and have unimpeachable integrity. She
said while there was no fixed time period appointing silk to lawyers,
the last two times attorneys were given silk were in December 2003
and January 2006. And while he’s disappointed that only two members
of the criminal bar achieved silk, Khan said he believed that the
appointments were based on merit, ability and integrity. “It’s
good to see that gender, race or political affiliations have not
prevented anyone achieving silk,” he said.
He
pointed out that Sinanan, a former house speaker, was closely
affiliated to the People’s National Movement and
Donaldson-Honeywell was the daughter of PNM stalwart, John Donaldson.
“Both of them, in their own merit, were given the honour...Everyone
there has the necessary ability, character and integrity,” he said.
Speaking in her personal capacity, Seetahal extended personal
congratulations to Daly, who she said had done tireless service in
community work as well as the other attorneys.
PM,
Anand among 16 for 'Silk'
by
Denyse Renne denyse.renne@trinidadexpress.com
Story
Created: Dec 30, 2011 at 12:53 AM ECT
In
an unprecedented move, President George Maxwell Richards will confer
the title of Senior Counsel (SC) to the head of the judiciary, the
Prime Minister and the Attorney General at a ceremony scheduled to
take place this morning at Knowsley Building in Port of Spain.
Receiving
the title Senior Counsel is also referred to as receiving "silk".
Today's ceremony will see, for the first time, 16 people being given
the coveted title at the same time.
Apart
from Chief Justice Ivor Archie, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar
and Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, others who will receive "silk"
are Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard, Solicitor
General Eleanor Donaldson-Honeywell, Chief Parliamentary Counsel Ian
MacIntyre, Appeal Court Judge Wendell Kangaloo, former House speaker
Barry Sinanan and attorneys Sophia Chote, Stephanie Daly, Christo
Gift, Samraj Harripaul, Surendranath Capildeo, Vernon de Lima, Norma
Maynard-Marshall and Dennis Gurly.
The
appointments were proposed by Ramlogan and agreed to by
Persad-Bissessar, who then informed the Office of the President.
The
Law Association and Archie were also consulted during the process.
Sources
say the initial list, which included the names of several other
attorneys, was changed on numerous occasions.
An
attorney who is conferred with the rank of Senior Counsel enjoys
certain privileges at the Bar, including sitting at the front bench
and getting priority from presiding judicial officers. Those
attorneys are also allowed to carry a red robe bag and charge higher
fees. They are usually accompanied by junior attorneys. They are
usually advocates who distinguish themselves in the practice of law.
Speaking
with the Express in a brief telephone interview yesterday afternoon,
Senior Counsel Israel Khan expressed disappointment that only two
people awarded "silk" —de Lima and Chote— were criminal
attorneys.
Khan
noted that even former Prime Minister Arthur NR Robinson was given
"silk" and sees nothing wrong with Persad-Bissessar
receiving the honour.
Khan
said he was also happy that political affiliations in no way favoured
the granting of "silk", noting Donaldson-Honeywell and
Sinanan were appointees made under the last People's National
Movement (PNM) administration.
"All
in all, it is a pretty good mix," Khan said.
