Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad
and Tobago, W.I.
Caracas, 2 March 2019 No. 904
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Dear Friends,
Here is a nice resume by Dr. David Bratt.
I would like to challenge other Oldboys to write a similar CV. To be
published in this Circular.
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GEORGE MICKIEWICZ <amickiew@att.net>
Jan 30 at 9:32 AM
Gracias recordado amigo,
autor/escritor y buen compañero de clase…que Dios te bendiga, Jorge
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Dr David Bratt…..29 January 2019
Most people do not know that I attended
medical school in Venezuela, graduating from the Central University of
Venezuela.
Unable to get a job because of the many
conflicts with British personnel at UBOT in Point Fortin, where we lived, not
in the British-run camp, but in the segregated "Trinidadian" area, my
father was forced to seek employment as an oil driller in Venezuela.
We soon followed but I was sent back to
boarding school in Mt St Benedict to get a good “English” education, as my
father put it.
After graduation but without money to
get into Mona, I sought and received a free medical education from the
Venezuelan Government of the moment, for which I express my eternal gratitude.
I, therefore, have a keen interest in what has been happening in Venezuela, the
land, and the city, “Caracas “Bella Caracas”, as the song says, that gave me my
profession, my wife, my first child, and many friends, most of whom have fled
the horror that is the communist inspired dictatorship that governs Venezuela,
at present.
Above all, I refer to the tragedy of
Venezuela's children, their mothers, the poor and the old, the weak of society,
who now bear the brunt of the suffering endured by millions of ordinary
Venezuelans.
Since 2015 over three million
Venezuelans, ten per cent of the population, have abandoned their country.
Millions have voted with their feet,
literally in some cases, walking out of their houses at midnight and trekking
hundreds of miles to the border and farther, with their meagre possessions,
children and old folk, on their backs.
This is a humanitarian disaster, larger
than that of Syria, that both ours and the Venezuelan Government refuse to
accept.
The true tragedy of Venezuela's
children, some of whom are here in T&T, has just been described in last
week's Lancet and what a terrible thing Mr Chavez has done to his beloved
people.
With love like that who needs enemies?
Who needs the enmity of the USA when
incompetence and drug-induced corruption reduces your health system to a state
of collapse?
A collapse that is denied by Venezuelan
officials by ceasing to make vital statistics data publicly available.
A strict secrecy policy has ruled public
health institutions, especially since 2013.
Data sources are no longer updated nor
publicly available.
There is evidence that health data are
still being collected but actively suppressed by the Government.
However, in the past two years, the
Pan-American Health Organization has issued several epidemiological alerts
reporting malaria, measles and diphtheria outbreaks in Venezuela.
Between 2007 and 2009, the Venezuelan
Ministry of Health did not provide vaccines against polio, diphtheria, tetanus,
pertussis, hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenzae type b to children younger
than five years.
Based on the latest figures available,
they did not vaccinate nearly 20 per cent of children in 2010.
The situation has since worsened.
This raises the question, what is the
immunisation status of the Venezuelan refugee children in T&T?
Are we being set up for outbreaks of
disease?
Infant mortality ie, the number of
children who die before they are one year old is the most sensitive indicator
of a country's health status.
Venezuela is the only country in South
America that has risen back to the infant mortality rate levels of the 1990s.
Thousands of babies have needlessly died
while their government denies a crisis.
The accompanying commentary in the
Lancet says it well: “Venezuela's health care system collapse is the outcome of
failed governance and misguided macroeconomic policies.”
And ends with the following damming
conclusion: “Poor governance is at the heart of the problem. And it is poor
governance that is literally killing the youngest Venezuelans.
Much more regional and global pressure
must be brought to bear on the current government to end the denial of the
health collapse, rein in hyperinflation, and begin to address the policy
failures that are stealing Venezuelans' futures.”
Let those who breathlessly think of
“non-alignment”, as “not doing”, deal with the consequences.
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From: Glen Mckoy <mckoy43glen@hotmail.com>
Hello Brian,
I have family in Aruba, they sent the photos, I am from Trinidad, however my father was from
Suriname.
I have been in Nova Scotia since 1977, when I got married, I
can`t remember the last carnival I saw Ha! Ha!
I love music, I had my share of carnival
when I was young.
It’s good to hear that you have made a
firm contact for Stephen Pitcher,
I know the feeling, it’s once in a life
time.
Have a good day,
Cheers! Glen.
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Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:51:05 -0800
From: briankong@yahoo.com
Thank you Glen.
Did you take these?
They've very beautiful, very special.
Are you from Aruba but living in Nova
Scotia?
I didn't go out my door this Carnival,
not even looked at it on TV as I had planned.
Stephen Pitcher was away from home last
weekend but we will chat this Sunday coming.
Brian
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Douglas Fraites <dafraites@sympatico.ca>
Mar 16, 2018 at 11:56 AM
Dear Ladislao,
I did not get back to you as my nephew
did not see Stu’s sister, she did not attend his aunt’s funeral, she was out of
the island and he does not know for how long.
From another source I got e-mail
addresses ........
stumon@yahoo.com and stumon@hotmail.com.
Let me know if either works, if not I
will continue the search via his sister Maureen.
Best regards.
Douglas
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Douglas Fraites <dafraites@sympatico.ca>
Jan 7, 2018 at 2:12 PM
Dear Ladislao,
I was surfing the net and came across an
interview with Margaret Monplaisir about St Lucia Distilleries and noted that
you asked her for info on Stu Monplaisir.
Were you successful in finding his
current address?
Margaret is married to my nephew and I
communicate with her quite frequently.
I spoke with her this morning and while
she remembers the interview she never watched it on the net and was unaware of
your request.
I spoke with my nephew as well, he is a
cousin of Stu and will be seeing Stu’s sister, Maureen, on Wednesday at his
aunt’s funeral and will ask her for contact info for you.
Since moving to the USA Stu rarely
visited St Lucia.
I live in Canada.
Best regards,
Douglas
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Joseph Berment-McDowald <bermentmcdowald@yahoo.com>
Mar 27, 2018 at 11:34 PM
Gentlemen,
Adolfo left around 3:30 am this morning
with approximately $4,400.00 (US) worth of relief supplies and arrived safely
this evening. Our thanks for those of you who worked so dilligently to make
this happen.
Special mention is due to Dr. George
Laquis, Norman Tang, Don Mitchell and George Mickiewicz without whose sterling
effort this tremendous push, (which will keep 14 families provided for until
September) would have not been possible.
We have received detailed accountability
from each head of household which will be shared with all major contributors
and the directors as necessary.
Of course, we have bills which are
unpaid and promised contributions still to be received.
We will be relying on the ongoing
support of the alumni community to keep this effort sustainable in the
long-term and look forward to your involvement in anticipated fund raisers.
Please do come tomorrow at 4:30 pm at
the board room of JD Sellier and Co (Dennis Gurley's) office and help make our
meeting a success.
Please arrive on time and bring along a
cash contribution in US $, if you haven't done so already and your
circumstances allow.
Sincerely,
Joe
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GEORGE MICKIEWICZ <amickiew@att.net>
Apr 14, 2018 at 11:55 AM
Hola Fredy
Thanks for you kind offer via FB to help
out….no contribution is too small and all funds are gratefully accepted.
There are 4 ways to transfer the money:
1. Use
the Zelle App….you can transfer the funds to Gabriel Faria…or to me if you
prefer. You would need to open an account in Zelle and then need Gabe’s or mine
account for the transfer. This is fast and free if done with bank accounts
within the USA. Not sure how and if it would work in Canada.
2. Send
the Canadian dollar paper denomination contribution inside a card to Father
Harold via regular mail. I tested this approach in February. It took 3 weeks to
get there and the $5 bill that I sent was there. Would not use this option for
significant sums.
3. Send
me a check, I will exchange it, and eventually transfer the funds to Gabriel
Faria when I make a future transfer of the donations being received. My address
is 1684 Von Hall Drive, Collierville, TN 3807.
4. Wiring
and Western Union are sort of last resort as they are very expensive relatively
speaking.
God bless you for your generosity and
kindness,
George
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Attila GYURIS <gyuris@yahoo.com>
Apr 24, 2018 at 11:16 PM
Hola Laci:
Reynaldo ya me
habia contactado el 20 de Marzo a traves de Linkedin
Yo ya le conteste.
Por cierto el
trabajo de piloto bombero para los bomberos no es el mismo que el trabajo de
piloto /policia.
En la policia federal (FBI/DEA/Homeland
Security) yo era un agente especial y trabajaba casos y perseguia criminales
para meterlos en la carcel.
Siempre uno
corria el riesgo de disparos, resistencia al arresto etc.
En general no
eramos bienvenidos.
En cambio, ahora en los Bomberos de
Quito soy capitan de bomberos y la mision es salvar vidas y proteger bienes con
el helicoptero, Y no nos disparan.
Somos siempre bienvenidos. MUY
distinto... jeje. ...
Y si, sigo volando todavia.
Un abrazo,
Attila
--------------------------------------------------------------.
laszlo kertesz <kertesz11@yahoo.com>
Apr 22, 2018 at 11:42 AM
Hola Reynaldo
El colega se
llama Attila Gyuris.
Ya no trabaja con la Policia sino con
los Bomberos. Casi lo mismo.
No se si vuela
ahora pero debe tener todos los contactos del mundo.
Favor mandame
informacion tuya para la Circular, que necesita material.
Al igual tu
telefono y ubicación
Saludos
Ladislao
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Caracas <achesnpains@sympatico.ca>
Mar 20, 2018 at 11:32 AM
Ladislao,
It’s been some time since we last touch
base but I need your help on an urgent issue.
I recall one of us is a graduated
helicopter pilot working, I believe, for the police in Quito Ecuador. Would you
be in a position to provide me all his contact information.
Alberto, my brother is fine and so is
his family but everyone is experience hard times in Venezuela not even to
mention the food shortages!
Please update your data base to reflect
my updated e-mail address: achesnpains@sympatico.ca
Saludos
Reynaldo Aché
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EDITED by
Ladislao Kertesz, kertesz11@yahoo.com, The Circular needs your support, it is 52.00
usd per year to cover the preparation of 52 issues. Must remind you that we are
in a crisis here in Venezuela where I am having difficulties with obtaining the
material for its preparation.
-----------------------------------------
Photos:
19GD0001GDI, Garnet Diaz
58RB0003a1, UNKNOWNS
18UN0009REUNION2018, UNKNOWNS
18UN0012UNKNOWNS, UNKNOWNS
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