Newsletter
for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and
Tobago, W.I.
Caracas,
28 April 2012 No.547
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Dear
Friends,
The
following ALUMNI have left the internet, we at the Circular are
worried about their health, can you help to reinstate them so that
they may get the newest issues.
65
Tadros Paul
56
Tadros Peter
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From:
amickiew@att.net
Date:
Wed, 7 Mar 2012 12:11:21 -0600
Thanks,
Jon, for your time, and valued/extensive down-to-earth assessment,
George.
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Sent:
Wednesday,
March 07, 2012 11:09 AM
Greetings,
Fellow ex-Inmates of the Prison on the Hill
I
do not want to pour any cold water on this hot topic but let me add
my two cents to give you a more informed reading on the situation.
When
I went back to TT in 2002 (for 8 years) before heading back to UK for
family reasons, I too have a similar wish to see revival in the old
school if only for the vain hope that one’s kids or grandkids could
follow in our paths and get educated there.
I
did quite a bit of private canvassing among the old boys from my era
(1955 – 1961: same time as Nigel and Ladislao).
I
got mixed reactions!
Some
of the guys just did not want to know.
They
still carried bad memories of their years on the hill of the only
school in TT which was run seriously like an institution (ie no go
home time – one mid term let out for one weekend).
The
ones who were lucky to have brothers (like Nigel and myself) were not
as affected since we had at least one ‘friend’ when things got
tough with the ‘Anglo vs Panyol’ culture that was always there.
The
only thing that bridged this gap and created some cross-culture
friendships was team sport and the Scouts and the Scout band which
Nigel and I belonged to for the duration.
The
only exception was the Syrian crowd who stuck together as they do and
became the only significant clique.
Reason
was their fathers all knew one another and did business together so
it was the only ‘family’ within the group.
The
boys from BG stuck together as did the St Lucians.
The
only sane group (as become evident years later) were the day boys.
They
could go home in the late afternoon and chill out at home with Mum
cooking a nice dinner while we had to digest a bland fixed menu –
take it or leave it!
So
it was luck of the draw, especially for the less tough kids who found
themselves solo and either grew up and learned from the experience
or, as many did, left the school after 1-2 years.
I
suspect the die-hards the long term inmates who got through the first
3-4 years.
After
that you were well seasoned and mature individuals who could hold you
own anywhere in the world.
That
was the real ‘graduation’ from the Mount!
Those
who I reconnected with who complained and bitched were either part of
the problem or could not take the pressure of ‘graduating’!
OK,
so I found some supporters for taking an interest, I visited the
Mount a few times, spoke to Fr Cuthbert, Fr Augustine, Fr Benedict,
Bro Vincent and the new young Abbott, a totally different culture
from the Dutch Fr Abbot, Adelbert Van Duin!!
I
took my kids up the bush track to the ‘Reservoir’ which was
nothing to see anymore.
I
also saw but did not go into the gated compound which was now a half
derelict rehab centre and the refectory Building was being rented by
some commercial guy in PoS who was ripping them off with low rent and
late payments.
I
formed an unofficial committee with another old boy, top architect,
Brian Lewis, Fr Benedict, Bro something (can’t remember name) and
my CIC lawyer friend Brien De Gannes and another CIC friend who’d
been doing more for the Mount and Monastery than any of our old boys,
Brendon Garcia.
Fr
Abbott sat in to most of the 4 or so meetings we have and I even
wrote up and circulated minutes.
We
discussed the many problems they were having like squatters all over
the lower area by the field where we used to go up the track and go
swimming where Daniel de Verteuil cracked open his head (badly but
not fatally) diving into the natural pool in the river stream.
Brien
gave them some good legal advice and J D Sellier (His firm ) took
action and got results eventually but not totally.
Next
was the couple who did a deal with the Abbott to live in the flat
above the Holy Shop (next to the Monastey Church).
These
shrewd buggers also ran the shop and probably pilfered the place.
They
then claimed they could not pay rent and ended up as freebie
squatters there for almost a year.
Carl
Hudson Phillips top QC in the island stepped in to negotiate but it
took him months before the Mount then had to PAY them to leave.
Next
the dereliction of the school and old dormitory building on the side
which was shut for a few years due to being unsafe.
Next
was the field which was badly overgrown and the building in need of
repair.
I
was working for Royal Bank at the time and was able to help push
through a deal for the bank to rent the field as a sports centre for
its staff in the St Augustine area.
The
bank at their expense not only cleared the field but attended to all
the surroundings and the sports house and the swimming pool.
Not
cheap but it brought the place back to something I remember from the
old days.
The
another smartass guy built a skills training building at the corner
of the field without permission and was now an official squatter
since the Abbot or his predecessor did nothing to stop it when they
could.
Legally
there was nothing much they could or wanted to do.
Only
Fr Cuthbert seemed to functioning but even he had his yoghurt factory
robbed by a trusted employee.
The
old seminary was still standing and used for the occasional retreat
but that would have been just enough to pay for the cleaning and
electricity the way the Abbot ran the place.
I
had lunch 2 or 3 times with all of them in the monastery refectory
where Fr Benedict even played the piano as best he could but we all
had a good laugh.
Fr
Augustine could not see but was still very sharp minded and said his
worst memory of the boys was when Lawrence Scott (who was in my class
in Prep B in 1995, joined the monastery as a Brother but he later
left.
Fr
Benedict’s health deteriorated over the years I was there and I
went to see him a couple times then to his funeral.
A
really good man, God Bless Him!!
Bro
Rupert is another good guy and he does a lot of good work keeping in
touch with our Venezuelan brothers.
We
told the committee that if we could produce a holistic business plan
of the entire Mount we would have a professional document that could
be passed around the old boys to contribute and bring the place back
up to a basic standard that would keep it at least from
deteriorating.
He
said the whole development was actually a gift from the British TT
government years ago and was owned by a trust.
The
trust in turn was under the control of some Irish based Catholic
organisation in Ireland where they took their orders from.
It
seems the Irish did not want to put any money into it and it was up
to the Abbott to do the best he could to finance whatever was needed.
Best
wishes
Jon
Golding (London)
(The
guest house problem has been solved, editor)
--------------------------------------------------------------------.
Jon
Golding
9
Feb
Nigel/Don/Ladislao
Brian's
suggestion is an excellent one!
We
are now getting MSB SPAM of little interest to our community at
large.
However
well-intentioned the writers are, and most of us are not as fortunate
as Don (to be comfortably retired and contented looking as he is!),
We
need to get back to Ladislao and Don's competent management of the
circle in a relaced and ad hoc way.
These
latest mails are downtime distractions while we are still guarding
our time to make a living.
I
agree that a website blog (which is very easy and sometimes even a
free add-on to whatever service the MSB site subscribes) IS the place
to transact this social networking.
The
good news is that people are awakened and participating, But it's not
for everybody!
Not
sure who is the poor fellow to organise this so I am copying Don and
Ladislao too.
Let
me know if you need any more input from me.
Best
regards and to Brian.
Jon
-----
Original Message ---------------
From:
"Brian Lewis" <brian@aclaworks.com>
Sent:
Saturday, February 09, 2008 4:01 PM
Nigel
May
I suggest that a blog be set up on the web site for old boys who want
to write about issues.
(There
is a Blog spot run by Don Mitchell)
I
am copying this to Jon Golding because I think he is well versed to
understand what needs to be done in this regard.
Brian
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Jon
Golding
9
Feb
Don,
How
remiss of me!
Yes,
you're right! And I'm sure we are all glad you are the filter!!
Thanks
for reminding us and for all you good work.
I
think we need to change the caption from MSB Old Boys to MSB Old
MEN!! At least in my case!
All
the best
Jon
--------------------------------------------------------------------.
Jon
Golding
19
Feb
Ladislao,
You
have a better perspective on this than I do so I am happy to
contribute this input.
However,
it may need a bit of editing so please send me the version you are
happy with so far and I will try to make it a bit more gentle and
inviting since when I wrote it I was in some way reacting to the
negativity in the air.
Regards
Jon
(No
problem –Jon, I only kept the historical side of the Mounts
problems as most of us have been without official information from
the source of the news, editor)
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Photos:
Mount
Inside MARCH 1966 page 18
08UN1551REUNION2008,
Kenneth Austin and Christopher Knowles
08GO0954REUNION2008,
photo by Ian Gomes
58JG0001UNKNOWNS,
photo from Jeffrey Gransaull
