Buxton-Friendship Expressbuxtonguyana.net/Buxton-FriendshipExpress2015-11.pdf · 2015. 11. 30. · Treasurer Keville Crandon Asst. Secretary/Treasurer: Shawn Adams Committee Member:

Congratulations to Mrs. Elsa Cort, neé

Zammett, of Lot 33 Company Road, Bux-

ton who celebrated an auspicious mile-

stone this month! She became 100 years

old on 24th November. Apart from some

decline in her vision, she is said to be

relatively well.

Elsa is the second of three children born

to the late Leticia Sands. Her older sister,

Nellie Zammett, and younger brother,

Charles Zammett, have both since de-

parted.

Her husband, Abna Cort, came from Ber-

bice County. He was a pan-boiler for

Booker’s Sugar Estates. While he served

at various locations across the country,

Elsa worked as a housekeeper to the Es-

tate Manager. At Le Bonne Intention (LBI)

and a few Berbice estates, she was em-

ployed as the Head Housekeeper. Mr.

Abna Cort passed on some years ago.

Elsa’s marriage did not produce any chil-

dren of her own, but she helped to raise her nephews, nieces and their offspring.

According to nephew, Peter Zammett, his aunt provided generous support to the

family and also took great care of them.

As an expression of their gratitude for the love and kindness she showered on

them, the family kept a delightful birthday party for Elsa on November 28th at An-

drew Lewis’ Place on Friendship Middle Walk. She was surrounded by a host of dot-

ing relatives and cheering friends, including members of her church family. She has

been a lifelong member of St. Anthony’s Roman Catholic Church.

Best Wishes to Miss Elsa for many more healthy and happy years!

BUXTON’S NEWEST

CENTENARIAN I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

Robert McRae Donates

Medals & Sports Gear

CIMBUX Awards Dance

2

3

Nursery Schools’ Fun Day 4

COTAB Xmas Dance 5

Buxton Sports Teams

Elect New Executives

HAYNES CITE: SPLIFF & Its

Impact on Society

6

7

Pauline Baird Column:

Wha de Story Seh?

10

NDC Elections March

2016

BGSS May 2016 Reunion

12

13

The Late Mark Austin:

A Tribute by Dr. Clayton

Bacchus

D.J. Terry Grant Passes On

Other Transitions

General Information

14

15

15

16

P u b l i s h e d B y :

B u x t o n - F r i e n d s h i p

H e r i t a g e F u n d , I n c .

Buxton-Friendship

Express

B F E 1 5 - 1 1

NOVEMBER 2015

Happy Thanksgiving

Elsa Zammett-Cort

P a g e 2

MCRAE DONATES SPORTS GEAR & MEDALS Brooklyn-based Buxto-

nian, Robert McRae,

recently donated a

number of sports items

to students and teach-

ers in the village.

Among the items he

presented were several

medals awarded to the

winners of the 55th An-

nual Inter-school Athlet-

ic Championships, orga-

nized by the GTU-

Buxton Branch.

Mr. McRae also pre-

sented two pairs of

sneakers and an assort-

ment of sports gear to

t a l e n t e d a t h l e t e ,

Kensha Phillips.

President of the Teachers’ organization,

Mr. Collis Nicholson expressed sincere ap-

preciation for the gifts and an expectation

that the gesture would be emulated.

B U X T O N - F R I E N D S H I P E X P R E S S

At right, Mr. Robert McRae is seen presenting an assort-ment of athletic gear to the young athlete, Kensha Phillips. At left is a proud and gratified teaching official.

P a g e 3 November 2015

P a g e 4

BOLTING TO SUCCESS

The GTU-Buxton Branch

staged its annual Nursery

Schools’ Athletic Championship

this month at the Lusignan

Community Ground. The fun-

filled event drew the participa-

tion of several schools from the

Good Hope —Enterprise area.

Apart from the athletic competi-

tion, schools were also judged

on their banner presentations.

Photos, thanks to Teacher Yolanda Stoby.



P a g e 6

RESULTS OF BUXTON CRICKET CLUB ELECTIONS

BUXTON UNITED FOOTBAL CLUB

NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Following general elections held last month, Curbette Victorine was elected Presi-

dent of the Buxton United Football Club. The other members of the Executive Com-

mittee are:

Vice-President: George Gibson

Secretary Eton Moses

Treasurer Keville Crandon

Asst. Secretary/Treasurer: Shawn Adams

Committee Member: Daminika Armstrong

The election, which took place on 31st October, 2015 at the Friendship Primary

School auditorium, was mandated by the governing Guyana Football Federation.

The Buxton club had previously held general elections for office holders in 2014

and new voting was not constitutionally due until 2016.

High on the agenda for the administration is securing sponsorship, donations

and other forms of assistance to help develop the skills of its young players and to

improve training facilities.

Congratulations and best wishes for a successful tenure to the committee.

Esse Peters

President, Carl Hooper Cricket Club

Esse Peters was re-elected unopposed as Presi-

dent of the Buxton ‘Carl Hooper’ Cricket Club for an-

other two years when the club held its elections on

29th October at the Buxton Community Playground.

The other newly elected executive members are:

1st Vice-President Dwayne Benjamin

2nd Vice-President Gavin Dick

Secretary/Treasurer Marvin Cato

Public Relations Officer Kevin Hart

Former national youth cricketer Clive Andries, who

is also a Guyana Under-23 footballer, remains the

club’s first division cricket captain, with Hart doing

the duties of second division skipper.

Daren Roberts preformed the duties of Returning

Officer.

The president thanked the club’s members for

their support, and pointed out that one of his main

objectives is to ensure that the club produce more

national players at all levels.


P a g e 7

November 2015

Whether legal or illegal, marijuana smoking will contin-

ue to have a catastrophic effect on the social and eco-

nomic infrastructure of Guyana.

Currently, several countries around the world are imple-

menting legislation for the decriminalisation of the use of

marijuana or deliberating on its status relative to its med-

ical potency. Based on our close association with the

United States of America, we tend to mimic whatever

happens in that land of opportunity. A number of States

in the USA have legalised the use of marijuana under

varying conditions. Locally, and with the advent of the

new government in place, the call for the legalisation of

the herb has become stronger.

But hold! Should someone that does not know what a

plant looks like speak about it? I suppose that is the rea-

son why many people do not speak on the issue. Person-

ally, I have never seen the thing; my only contact is by

scent, that which emanates from “Spliff Street” (Barnwell

Street) whenever I happen to pass that way.

My awareness of marijuana smoking dates back to the

late nineteen seventies. As a kid, I enjoyed the music of

Bob Marley and the Wailers and was fascinated by

chants of the local expression of the Rastafarian faith. I

can remember back then there were these guys who

lived in an old house at the back of Missionary School

(Buxton Primary). They wore dreadlocks, dressed in cro-

cus bag suits and blew a lot of smoke from pipes. We

called them Rasta; they called us Baldhead. They walked

into any yard, picked up whatever fruit or vegetable they

liked and told you Jah provided it for them. They picked

up your dread-nut (coconut), ilaloo (Callaloo), ipau

(pepper) etc., and beat-out with it despite your plea. The

guys always seemed to be bubbling ude (cooking food);

they called ital and smoking.

The late 1970’s would have also seen probably the

last instalment of the community raising the child. Aunt

Vi (Viola Stephenson), Mother Edna, Yankee Jarvis, Mrs.

Harry, Mr. Harris, Ivy Pitt, Miss Celeste, Miss Gwenie,

Miss Doris, Mr. Jeffrey, Mrs. Fanfair, Mammy and Daddy

Payne, and many others were very influential in the way

we behaved as children. They would always pull you in

for fitness whenever they suspected that your behav-

iour was not in accordance with old-people-standard.

Looking back, I now realise that they only spoke exten-

sively to those of us who seemed to be complying with

their views.

The abandoned car of Br. Albert - Albert Stephenson

(Sargie), parked on the verge in front of his house on

Buxton Middle Walk, was my play pen for quite a while.

I was the only boy he allowed to play in that car. It was

believed by many that Sargie was the owner of a gun

and, if provoked, he would use it. So, nobody messed

with him. I remembered him warning me to not smoke

cigarette because ‘it’s a killer’ and to take my books

because education would be the passport out of pov-

erty. He always spoke about his son Bobbin and told

me I should be like him. One of the military camps of

the Guyana Defence Force, Camp Stephenson, is

named after the late Bobbin Stephenson. Apparently,

much of what was said to many of us at that time stuck.

(Continued on page 8)

“More than fifty percent of our youths, in and

out of school, have tried it and are constant

users of the drug... The common reason giving

by spliffers for the smoking of the herb is that

it helps them to build a head.”

HAYNES CITE

SPLIFF: IMPACT ON SOCIETY

Image of a young man smoking a marijuana cigarette

P a g e 8

“Marijuana is

used as a

psychoactive (i.e.

mind altering)

recreational drug

for certain

medical ailments

and for religious

and spiritual

purposes.

Sinsemilla, hash/

hashish (resinous

form) and hash

oil (sticky black

liquid) are

stronger forms of

marijuana.”

However, many were those who

would have departed from the

“straight and narrow”, according to

Ivy Pitt, my grandmother. Over the

years hundreds of young men from

Buxton would have indulged in the

smoking of weed. The activity would

have moved from one taking place in

seclusion to one conducted at almost

every corner of Buxton and Friend-

ship. The Guyana Secondary School

Drug Prevalence Survey 2013 con-

ducted by the Organisation of Ameri-

can States (OAS) Inter-American Drug

Abuse Control Commission (CICAD)

would have revealed some alarming

facts relative to the use of licit and

illicit drugs by our in-school youths. It

would have indicated that ganja was

the easiest of the illicit drugs to ob-

tain and it was the most abused. The

study also indicated that many who

abuse drugs also eventually became

school drop outs. While no study has

been conducted on the use of mariju-

ana in the village of Buxton, it is my

humble opinion that more than fifty

percent of our youths, in and out of

school, have tried it and are constant

users of the drug. In all the villages

on the East Coast of Demerara and

all the wards in Georgetown one can

find prolific ganja cell.

To effectively deal with the issue of

the boom draw, it is important that

we be aware of these facts:

The botanical name is Cannabis

Sativa. It is also called, pot, herb,

spliff, grass, winter vegetable, mary

jane, boom, skunk etc. etc. Marijua-

na is described as a green, brown or

gray mixture of dried, shredded

leaves, stems, seeds and flowers of

the hemp plant Cannabis sativa. Ma-

rijuana is used as a psychoactive (i.e.

mind altering) recreational drug for

(Continued from page 7) certain medical ailments and for reli-

gious and spiritual purposes. Sinsemilla,

hash/hashish (resinous form) and hash

oil (sticky black liquid) are stronger

forms of marijuana.

The main active chemical in marijuana

is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). It

is a psychoactive ingredient. The highest

concentrations of THC are found in the

leaves and flowers. When marijuana

smoke is inhaled, THC rapidly passes

from the lungs into the bloodstream and

it is carried to the brain and other organs

throughout the body. THC from the mari-

juana acts on specific receptors in the

brain, called cannabinoid receptors,

starting off a chain of cellular reactions

that finally lead to the euphoria, or "high"

that users experience.

Certain areas in the brain, such as the

hippocampus, the cerebellum, the basal

ganglia and the cerebral cortex, have a

higher concentration of cannabinoid re-

ceptors. These areas influence memory,

concentration, pleasure, coordination,

sensory and time perception. Therefore

these functions are most adversely af-

fected by marijuana use.

Medical marijuana is used in the treat-

ment of chemotherapy patients who

have nausea, vomiting and loss of appe-

tite; to treat HIV patients with cachexia

(weight loss, muscle atrophy, fatigue and

loss of appetite); to provide therapeutic

benefit for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) spas-

ticity symptoms; and used for glaucoma

to lower intraocular pressure (IOP). Sa-

tivex (a composition of plant-derived ex-

tracts of THC), an oral sublingual spray,

is available for adjunctive use in MS neu-

ropathic pain and cancer-related pain.

Side effects of marijuana use vary from

person to person, depending upon

strength and amount of marijuana used

and if the user is occasionally or chroni-

cally exposed to THC. The short-term ef-

fects of marijuana use include problems



SPLIFF: GOOD OR BAD? Haynes Cite

ANTHONY HAYNES Contributing Writer

HAYNES CITE: THE SPLIFF


with memory and learning; distorted perception (sights,

sounds, time, and touch); difficulty in thinking, reason-

ing and problem solving; loss of coordination and motor

skills; increased heart rate, anxiety, aggressive atti-

tudes, bloodshot eyes and dry mouth. Reaction time

may be impaired while driving. Panic attacks, paranoia

and psychosis may occur acutely and be more common

in psychiatric patients. For chronic users, the impact on

memory and learning can last for days or weeks after

its acute effects wear off.

It has been documented that people who smoke mari-

juana often have the same respiratory problems as cig-

arette smokers. They may have daily cough and

phlegm, symptoms of chronic bronchitis, and more fre-

quent chest colds. They are also at greater risk of get-

ting lung infections like pneumonia. Marijuana contains

some of the same, and sometimes even more, of the

cancer-causing chemicals found in cigarette smoke.

People who smoke marijuana for years suffer negative

consequences. Because marijuana affects brain func-

tion, the ability to do complex tasks are compromised,

the pursuit of academic, athletic, or other life goals that

require a person to be 100 percent focused and alert

can become severely impaired. The use/abuse of mari-

juana leads to addiction.

Studies show that the use of marijuana may increase

the risk of developing psychosis (a severe mental disor-

der in which there is a loss of contact with reality) in-

cluding false ideas about what is happening (delusions)

and seeing or hearing things that aren’t there

(hallucinations), particularly if you carry a genetic vul-

nerability to the disease.

The common reason giving by spliffers for the smok-

ing of the herb is that it helps them to build a head; re-

search has proven this to be a farce. In fact, marijuana

smoking is more of a destroyer of the head. My experi-

ence tells me that the smoking of pot has negatively

affected a large amount of our citizens. Many of our

(Continued from page 8)

young men have failed to make a positive contribution

to society because very early in their lives they would

have tripped after bouts of smoking ganja. Many homes

have been destroyed because one or both adults prefer

to smoke ganja rather than function as responsible

parent/s; many families have failed to get started be-

cause many of our young men are not in a sound men-

tal or economic state to do so. The community of Bux-

ton has lost and will continue to lose many of its skilled

trades men to ganja since this category of our work

force seems to be gravitated to it. Most, if not all hard

drug users started with the spliff; our communities are

overwhelmed with junkies. Most of the hate crimes and

aggressive behavior leading to violence began with a

boom draw.

I will posit that a large percentage of our reckless driv-

ers are mainly young men who have synchronized the

use of ganga and alcohol. While there is testing done

for alcohol in the case of serious accidents, none is

done for illicit drugs. In my line of work I interface with

scores of young men on a daily basis; by their attitude

mainly, the ganja users are easily identifiable; their rela-

tive percentage is also high. What is shocking to me

though and what will trigger much destruction to our

society is the wide spread use of marijuana on the

Campus of the University of Guyana. We have lost many

academics to drugs in the past; the current situation is

a cause for much concern and urgent action.

‘Wha a play ting fu lil bai a deth fu crappo.’

Until the next time, TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

Congratulations to the Pastor and members of the Arundel Congregational Church on cele-brating their one hundred and seventy first an-niversary. May GOD continue to bless and keep you!

~Anthony Haynes

“The community of Buxton has lost

and will continue to lose many of its

skilled tradesmen to ganja since this

category of our work force seems to be

gravitated to it. Most, if not all, hard

drug users started with the spliff. ”

Anthony Haynes’ Column

P a g e 1 0

Wha De Story Seh? Dear Buxtonians,

Wah de Story Seh?

As I mentioned in my last letter, I am writing down our stories to extend

that line of tradition where we pass on knowledge through stories. These

stories are a means of helping us connect and reflect on what it means to

be a citizen of the village and the world.

Here is a story. It is the year 2009, I am living in Japan. I receive an email

with an attachment “Buxton Friendship Express.” I read it immediately

and feel connected to my village. Fast forward to January 2015. I am in New York to

interview the editor and founder of the newsletter, Ms. Lorna Campbell. Lorna is the

daughter of Gwendolyn Ifill, more fondly called Cousin Gwenny.

When I listen to her stories and understand her as doing rhetoric– ways of mak-

ing, transmitting, and using knowledge, I hear her taking a motherly gaze at Buxton.

She orients herself to the people, the land, and her practices. Lorna helps us see how

she took a relational approach of connecting to Buxtonians which provides a mech-

anism for promoting connections among Buxtonians worldwide. What she does re-

minds me of my answer to scholars who have asked, how do we talk about women

from different parts of the world? I say to intellectuals- village people and academ-

ics—start from the location of the village (Walter Mignolo). Listen and see what wom-

en as they do. In the context of Buxton, where people struggle with the land and

the ocean; where people work hard to make ends meet, where for some reasons,

guns and violence became a reality for a while, Lorna Campbell begins a newsletter.

Here is a story she tells: “I wanted to do something to lift their spirits … to galvanize

the village.” Lorna reflects on the time when Buxton was going through a dark peri-

od in the aftermath of the 2005 flooding on the East Coast of Demerara. She want-

ed Buxtonians, especially the young ones who “don’t know,” to celebrate the pur-

chase of the village” together. In this role she acts like a griottes—wise woman who

keeps the stories of the village.

On a deeper level, she demonstrates responsibility and reciprocity; how to be seen

and heard through her relationships and actions. These connections can be under-

stood as a way to talk of the rhetoric of women from the village that intellectuals can

learn from. Thus, listening to her stories, I am able to see, hear, and feel her passion

for her work that is distinctly contributing and (re-)shaping the village movement—

she is still caring for the land, just like those who stopped the train. As a result, Lorna

writes Buxton’s history in her own ways in relationship with others. I invite you to

listen to her words and gauge her perspectives so that we can begin to reflect and

learn how a modern day Buxton woman inhabits her identity and citizenship.



Pauline Baird

Wha De Story Seh?

P a g e 1 1 November 2015

Here is one of Lorna’s stories:

It’s a proud heritage To be a Buxtonian, I feel proud, gratified And sometimes lucky to be a member of this community And to have had ancestors Our foreparents who sacrificed so much To provide for me, and to provide that confidence a sense of confidence and that ability that I can succeed against all odds I think that they were a great group of people, of inspiration and I will forever be thankful and grateful, you know For the legacy that they have left for me. a sense of confidence and that ability that I can succeed against all odds Have you always felt this way? Well, you know, to be honest, Um, I wouldn’t say it is something that I have always felt Because I didn’t know. Um, growing up in the village or going to school, I don’t recall, let’s say, that part of the education about our heritage Or what our ancestors did. It was more about learning, as they said, Reading, writing and ‘rithmetic. So, I didn’t know And perhaps too where I came from, Um, the environment Maybe part of Buxton, I can’t say that I knew, lot of what happened before. Because, I mean, you know things about emancipation, And all of these things. These are things I learnt when I grew up. I learnt a sense of confidence and that ability that I can succeed against all odds.


What did you know about your African ances-try while growing up? Didn’t know anything about it except that one of my great aunts, Aunt Irene. Um, as a little girl, I remember her dressed up in her African outfits. And she would tie her head She would be talking about “Ghana Day” And something like that. She was the only one I recall, you know. But again, I didn’t understand deeply enough what was going on… I think that it really kind of kicked in, That sense when I was in my late teens. a sense of confidence and that ability that I can succeed against all odds.

~ Pauline Baird

Adapted from an interview with Lorna Campbell

(January 9, 2015)

~ Pauline Baird —ABD

Rhetoric and Writing

General Studies Writing Instructor

Bowling Green State University

OH 43402, USA

P a g e 1 2

“… The entire local

government system

is currently rotten

and must be

rehabilitated and

made fully

functional.

Democratic renewal

of local government

organs is long

overdue.”

Ronald Bulkan

Minister of Communities

NDC ELECTIONS NEXT MARCH

Come March 18, 2016, citizens residing

within Guyana’s 71 local government dis-

tricts will get the long-awaited opportunity

to elect new councilors to manage their

towns and localities. Local Government

Elections (LGE), constitutionally due every

three years, have not been held since

1994. The municipal towns and Neighbour-

hood Democratic Councils (NDCs), which

encompass the democratic system, receive

subventions from the national government

for the development of their communities.

Additionally, they have the power to gener-

ate their own revenue, including the collec-

tion of property taxes. Buxton is part of the

Buxton-Foulis Neighbourhood Council and

the seat of the NDC’s administration.

In announcing the date for Local Govern-

ment Elections, Minister of Communities,

Mr. Ronald Bulkan, declared that it was an

important time in the country’s history. He

added, “Elections are important because

they are a democratic constitutional right.

They are essential because the entire local

government system is currently rotten and

must be rehabilitated and made fully func-

tional. Democratic renewal of local govern-

ment organs is long overdue.

Local government is about handing deci-

sion-making power to the people to enable

them to efficiently and effectively manage

their communities. With these facts in

mind, I am pleased to inform you that local

government elections will be conducted on

March 18, 2016.

A functioning local government system is

a fundamental aspect of democratic gov-

ernance. It is important because it deals

with people’s lives in their communities.

Strong local government is at the heart of

national development because who wields

decision-making power at the Municipal

and Neighbourhood levels directly deter-

mine and decide where and how your tax

dollars will be used to develop individual

communities and ultimately, the nation.

Development at every level, depends on a

strong system of good, democratic, effec-

tive and efficient local governance.

Local governments are mandated by law

to provide many essential services such

as, improving living conditions, creating

jobs in the various local areas, maintaining

roads, bridges and other important infra-

structure, garbage collection, cleaning of

drains, promoting a healthy environment

and encouraging citizen involvement in

their communities. As Guyanese who have

been living without a functioning local gov-

ernment system, we can all attest to the

necessity of restoring and repairing the

dysfunctional system which currently ex-

ists, since we have experienced the results

of the collapse of local government sys-

tems.”

The current chairman of the Buxton-

Foulis NDC is Buxtonian, Mr. Randolph

Blair. He and his two immediate predeces-

sors were part of a group of Buxtonians

who had formed an independent commu-

nity organisation—“Modern Developers”

that successfully contested the last LGE

poll. There is indication that some resi-

dents are mulling the idea of again putting

forward a slate of villagers for the upcom-

ing elections. One motive is to ensure that

the resources and other vested interests of

the village are closely monitored by Buxto-

nians themselves, and not left to the

whimsical fancies of others. Buxtonians

are believed to be the largest constituent

group in the NDC.

The APNU and AFC political parties have

already made it known that they will be

joining forces again to contest the LGE as

a coalition.



P a g e 1 4

“...For the time of my

departure has come. I

have fought the good

fight, I have finished

the course, I have

kept the faith; in the

future there is laid up

for me the crown of

righteousness, which

the Lord, the

righteous Judge, will

award to me on that

day; and not only to

me, but also to all

who have loved His

appearing.”

2nd Timothy: 6-8

MARK AUSTIN: A GREAT HUMAN BEING

From humble beginnings, Mark Austin, also called Trini, was able to stem the tide of tragedy that came with the

sudden loss of his mother, Betty Austin, at a tender age of his young life. She had fallen victim to complications de-

veloped while giving birth to child. He and his six siblings were left to be raised by their paternal grandmother while

their father, Ovid Austin, a carpenter, busied himself to provide for the large family. Mark grew up in the Watson

Street, Friendship Front area and became a model of spiritual faith, athletic mastery and academic virtue.

He was a devout member of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. Those of us who have had the pleasure of knowing

him can testify to his unflinching courage, commitment and constancy to God. His cool demeanor and his dedication

to carrying out the work of God were among his many admirable qualities.

After succeeding at the Common Entrance Examination from Friendship Methodist School, he attended then Bux-

ton Government Secondary School and, following the merge, Bladen Hall Multilateral School. At that institution, he

blossomed into an excellent athlete, thrilling fans with his agility and vitality. In the school’s history of high jumping,

there was none before his time who leapt over the bar, using the scissors or straddled style, surpassing a foot over

one’s own height. Trini accomplished that feat.

I can, and perhaps many others would, vividly recall Trini’s triumphs at the Annual School Sports, winning the high

jump - an event that seemed to favour the big and strong and not athletes of small build like his. At almost every

level his superman-like efforts dominated his competitors and dazzled spectators, win after win.

As a member of then Buxton Sports Club, Trini played almost every sport available and excelled at all. His skills at

Football (Soccer) were extraordinary. His attacking loop strokes at Table Tennis were mesmeric. At Volleyball and

Cricket, he was outstanding too. Most riveting was his nimbleness on the Badminton court. As a matter of fact, he

was once the badminton champion for East Coast Demerara, and for a long period of time.



Mark Austin — Photo, compliments of Gordon French

A Tribute by Dr. Clayton Bacchus

Notwithstanding his astonishing athletic prowess,

Mark was a brilliant fellow and he devoted time to

building an illustrious academic career. After he

graduated from Bladen Hall Multilateral School, he

went on to Cyril Potter College of Education, from

where he obtained Class 1 and Grade 1 certification

in becoming a trained teacher. He chose Physical

Education for his specialization. For some time, he

was a member of the staff at Buxton Community

High School.

He next immigrated to Trinidad and Tobago, where

he worked as both a schoolteacher and a church

missionary. While there, he furthered his studies

and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in English. He

later settled in the United States where he contin-

ued his dual vocation of being an educator and an

evangelist. In keeping with his quest for increased

knowledge and to advance his career, he proceed-

ed to obtain a Master’s Degree in Education. He

was a teacher at Laurel High School in Maryland up

to the time of his demise.

Mark Austin was indeed a great human being. His

accomplishment as an athlete spanned his vibrant

youth; his teaching vocation covered decades, but

his devotion to God encompassed his life. Though

sudden came his departure, he has no doubt fought

the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith.

So long my friend.

Forever in our hearts!

~ Dr. Clayton Bacchus


MARK AUSTIN


On the 4th November, the music stopped when the once popular

“Disco Baby” disc jockey, Terry Grant (Terry Marcus) was called to

higher service. He is said to have been ailing for quite some time

before he passed away at the Georgetown Hospital.

He is affectionately remembered as, perhaps, the first genuine

Disc Jockey from Buxton and a very popular one along the coast.

That reputation earned him the nickname “Boss D.J.”

He is survived by his children, siblings and several other family

members.

During the month of November, we also

mourned the passing of the following villag-

ers: Mrs. Phyllis Carter, of Friendship

Middle Walk

Barbara Jordan, formerly of Noble

Street & Friendship Middle Walk (Front Side)

Frankie Roseman, of Buxton Middle

Walk, Back Dam Side

OTHER TRANSITIONS

Mark Austin passed away suddenly on 21st Novem-

ber, 2015 in Maryland, USA. He is a former resident of

Watson Street, Friendship Front. He was born to Ovid &

Betty Austin, both of them since deceased.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Sophia Austin and

two adorable daughters, Emerald and Jade Austin.

He also leaves to mourn his loss his brothers - Carl

Austin (Isaac), Moses Austin, Noel Austin (Mano), Thad-

deus Austin (Dinky), Earl Brown and Andrew Brown; his

only sister – Mirthy Austin-Braithwaite; many nieces,

nephews and numerous other relatives. An older broth-

er, Handel Austin, departed some years ago.

Mark is scheduled to be laid to rest in Maryland, fol-

lowing a funeral service at the Liberty Seventh-Day Ad-

ventist Church in the city of Baltimore on 29th Novem-

ber, 2015.

“Gone but not forgotten; Rest in Peace!”

Sincere sympathy to his bereaved family!

“BOSS D.J.” TERRY GRANT PASSES ON

Published By: Buxton-Friendship Heritage Fund, Inc.

BUXTON: Our Legacy, Our Pride, Our Responsibility

Buxton Homecoming Celebration May 22, 2016 — May 28, 2016

in observance of

Friendship 175th Purchase Anniversary

Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary

International Decade for People of African Descent

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buxton Heritage Awards Gala

Cultural Fair & Exhibition * Community Day *

Sightseeing Tours * Village Caucus & more…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buxton-Friendship Heritage Fund, Inc.

454 Vermont Street

Brooklyn, NY 11207, USA

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lorna Campbell

Pauline Baird

Anthony Haynes

Dr. Clayton Bacchus

EDITORS Dr. Clayton Bacchus

Lorna Campbell

Buxton-Friendship Express * November 2015

E-mail us at:

[email protected]

SEASON OF GIVING

Make a donation before December 31st and save on your taxes. You will also enjoy the satisfaction of making a life changing dif-ference for a needy child in Buxton. Buxton-Friendship Heritage Fund, Inc. is a qualified charita-

ble organization under the IRS 501(c)(3) tax code. This means, that donations made to the Fund are tax-deductible to the full-est extent of the law. Since there is precious little time left for you to maximize your

tax savings for this year, you need to act now. Mail your cheque/money order by December 31, 2015 to: Buxton-Friendship Heritage Fund, Inc.

454 Vermont Street, Brooklyn, NY 11207, USA

Documents

Buxton-Friendship Expressbuxtonguyana.net/Buxton-FriendshipExpress2015-11.pdf · 2015. 11. 30. · Treasurer Keville Crandon Asst. Secretary/Treasurer: Shawn Adams Committee Member: