Newsletter for
alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
Caracas, 6 of April 2019 No. 909
----------------------------------------------------------
Dear Friends,
Here is news on the
launch of a book by an old boy.
----------------------------------------------------------
Call Me Pud: Dr.
George Laquis, An Intimate Portrait
From:
Joseph Berment-McDowald
Sent: Monday, March 25, 2019 5:17 PM
Brothers,
Local
Arabs, especially those of Syrian extraction are a mysterious race, to us the
other Trinboganians, sometimes difficult to understand and a seeming bundle of
contradictions.
For
those like myself who have come to know a few well it is a marvel to experience
the intertwining of exquisite courtesy, unbridled generosity, sentimentality and
the group's reputation of having extraordinary business acumen, being extremely
competitive and seemingly insufferably arrogant which is frequently in
juxtaposition to the personalities of the individuals who you have come to know
well.
Maybe
it derives from the ancestral experiences in the Middle East where possibly one
needs to establish an impregnable position for survival and advancement
especially coming from Christian communities where little in the external
environment is benign.
Failure,
destitution and extinction could quite possibility be used interchangeably.
Courtesy
and generosity are innate: survival is reflex - - cultural programming written
over centuries.
Call
Me Pud is an
intimate picture of Trinidad and a Trinidadian family of Syrian extraction that
evokes touching memories of the gentler nature of our country, in some cases
just 40 or 50 years earlier.
For
those who went to Abbey School in Trinidad,
It
would cause us to have flashbacks of the life that we lived whilst there.
It is
insightful in adding to the understanding of Venezuelan society and
culture.
Although,
I was a student 15 years later parts of the picture that he paints resonates.
This
is an incredibly personal autobiography.
It reveals
the customs, sentiments and ascent of the Trinidad Syrian community and his
family in a deeply human way that any sensitive person can relate to.
Importantly
it reveals facts and information on the ancestral antecedents of the Trinidad
Syrian community that is helpful to understanding them.
It has
a ring of unvarnished truth and sincerity that frequently eludes native
authors, especially those from minority communities.
To say
that this is a native or ethnic narrative however will be a disservice to the
book and its writer. it is a deeply human story and a testament to warmth,
generosity and integrity of a true patriot.
I had
the honour to be invited to the launch of the book and the privilege to
purchase a specially packaged copy with a personally inscribed message.
Typical
of the man, he only agreed to the publication on the condition that all of the
proceeds will go exclusively towards the construction of a new building for The
Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society.
In his
own words he says:
The cancer society has served the people of TT for almost 50
years we advocate for the prevention of cancer through lifestyle changes,
cigarette legislation etc, we educate the public, we screen for early cancer
detection, we have a free hospice for terminal cancer patients, we have support
groups, we offer psychological counselling, outreach programs, mobile screening
programs to the at risk lower income population, etc., etc.
Our
resources are continually stretched.
If
that is not enough,
What
can I say?"
Copies
are available at all major local bookstores and on Amazon.
I urge
every member of the Abbey School Alumni community to support this deserving
charity by purchasing a copy of part of your and our nation's story
Joseph Berment-McDowald
bermentmcdowald@Yahoo.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------.
“I’d
like to meet the guy they keep talking about,” Dr George Laquis quipped as he good-naturedly
brushed off accolades given him at launch of his memoirs, Call Me Pud, at the
All Saints Anglican Church, Port of Spain, on February 28.
He hailed author Roslyn Carrington, to whom he had dictated his
thoughts every Thursday, as serving as his unwitting therapist to vent and
purge his inner demons. Earlier, she had said Trinidadians were very nosy about
each other’s business, just as everyone, indeed, had their story to tell.
Recalling her talks about the Trinidad of yesteryear with her
late grandfather, Fred Hull, she said, “With Dr Laquis, it was like a second
chance to talk with my grandfather again.”
She said "Pud" was a childhood name for Laquis, after a
comic-strip character.
Laquis’ daughter Josephine Laquis-Rodriguez, who acted as MC,
said the book was deeply personal but had lessons for everyone, including the
doctors’s 12 rules for living, written just before he went into life-and-death
surgery, “In case I didn’t make it.” These rules essentially advise people to
perform do-good projects for the right reason; live modesty; eat moderately;
exercise mind, body and soul; be considerate and kind; and act only after
deliberation.
Call Me Pud focuses on the
theme of identity and a sense of belonging, using the life of Laquis. It does
that by touching on a variety of topics such as the historical migration of
people from Lebanon and Syria to TT, how members of this immigrant community
inter-related with each other, mainly in terms of family and business dealings,
and Laquis’ experience in visiting Canada to practise as a young doctor and in
visiting his ancestral land.
The breadth of the easy-to-read book is its strength, but also
its weakness. It gives a taster, but leaves one hungry for more depth.
Laquis says traditionally a Syrian was seen as “the lowest of the
low” in TT society, and one of his sons is quoted as saying he felt prejudice
in TT but not in North America, yet Laquis also admits to shortcomings in that
Trinidadian girls refused to date Syrian men because they knew the men would
never marry them.
These themes are worthy of a deeper exploration.
Laquis warns his community of the genetic dangers of
intermarriage between close relatives, even as the same names of four or five
prominent Syrian/Lebanese families continually crop up in the book.
Likewise, while in the book Laquis repeatedly says his family (to
whom the book is dedicated) is the most important thing to him, if it had given
some real anecdotes of the successes and failures of Syrian/Lebanese parenting
skills, this would greatly benefit a wider society whose values and norms are
now in flux.
Laquis touches on events of history, such as the George Chambers
general-election win of 1981, when his own brother Dr Joe Laquis, for the
People’s National Movement (PNM), vanquished the late Karl Hudson-Phillips in
Diego Martin Central. He expresses his regret at the Syrian/Lebanese community
(mainly Christian) doing little to help newly-arrived immigrants to TT (mainly
Muslim) from the Syrian war, unlike yesteryear when new arrivals were given
bundles of cloth to peddle.
Again, maybe another study could explore these topics in more
depth – that is, the relationship of that community to the politics of TT and
to the life of Syria.
One valuable lesson Laquis shares was the story of his own battle
with his health, having had part of his tongue surgically removed because of
cancer and having a heart attack at 54, just after agreeing to pay off his
son-in-law’s mortgage. He shares his subsequent lifestyle changes, such as
cutting out sugar and refined flour and replacing constant cigarette smoking
with a one-a-day cigar.
Laquis also spells out his role in helping set up the Cancer
Society, which had realised it had to reach out to vulnerable women who could
probably not afford to take a day off work to travel to the capital for
screening.
“We decided two things. First to hell with the doctors; we were
going to train the nurses to do the Pap smears. Second, if the patients can’t come to us, we
would go to them.”
Overall, Laquis’ record of his journey through life is a pleasant
and informative account in itself, and hopefully should spur others to
contribute their own stories, so as to help fathom insights into this diverse
society.
All proceeds from the book's sales will go towards funding new
buildings for the Cancer Society and its hospice in St James, Vitas House.
------------------------------------------------------------------.
An old article that I just found.
Any
news on the book or the adventures at Fr. Benedict´s Science Class?
OK Sir
Kaz when you going down to Trinidad?
My mum
just went down, so I have to go in due course.
I will
be there for meet & greet, maybe Oct.it would be nice to have a retreat up
the hill.
Sir
Kaz, I have my own place, in the heart of town, a two bedrooms,
One bedroom
for the Club ha! ha!
However,
we must rekindle the fire, like what's going on, with the Home Chapter.
Any up
and coming events or reunions ?
I
would like to find out, more about Fr.Benedict photos, for a book. about the
impact, that the Abbey School Boys made, in Trinidad & around the world.
If you
play musician, we will be jamming.
Cheers, Glen.
------------------------------------------------------------------------.
Another old email,
referring to a reunion in Canada.
What has
happened to the Mount boys? The only
reunion we have is just to bury our classmates. (Ed)
Nigel
Boos <nigelboos@yahoo.ca>
Friday, May 29, 2009 7:07:17 AM
Sounds great, Salah.
It
should be a great evening, and we look forward to hearing sweet pan for a
little entertainment.
Nigel
On 28-May-09, at 5:00 PM,
Salah Wilson wrote:
Greetings
Nigel,
At
this point My wife and I will be coming, I will also be bringing my Steelpans
and back-up music ( my wife also does vocals).
We are
trying to juggle a gig that the family band previously had to do and expect
another of my daughter who is currently on a field trip with her school in
Cuba, to return in time.
But at
this point my wife and I will be coming and we are hoping to succeed in
re-arranging the other Gig.
Best
wishes
Salah (Montreal)
------------------------------------------
EDITED by Ladislao
Kertesz, kertesz11@yahoo.com,
if you would like to be in the circular’s mailing list or any old boy that you
would like to include.
--------------------------------------------------
Photos:
19LK7643FBGLA, George Laquis new book
19LK0300FBGLA, George Laquis new book presentation
58RB0003a1, Roberto Bodingtons photo of UNKNOWNS
58RB0003a7, Roberto Bodingtons photo of UNKNOWNS, maybe Serrete?
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments are enabled
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.