RE: Efebo

2013-Jan-31-0916Hrs

My Fellow Mausicans,

Have a good day. Talk with you later.

Rodney Foster

"EFEBO

It’s a pleasure to recommend Lester Efebo Wilkinson as a Mausican graduate whose life has influenced significantly his community. From Tunapuna, his birth place, Malabar RC,  Mausica  Village, the Caricom  countries, Cuba and the United States, Efebo has been a cultural ambassador of Trinidad and Tobago.

I first met Lester in 1966 when we were students at Mausica Teachers College, a residential, teacher-training institution in Mausica, Trinidad. There were two hundred and twenty students on campus.

Back then it was quite common for someone to have several nicknames. The Principal, Harry Joseph,  “De Joe”, called Lester, “Wilkie”;  some fellas called him “Blondie” because of a gold patch, the size of a fifty-cent piece, that he had in his reddish hair; the girls, with music in their voices, called him “Lester”. All three names were words of endearment because he was a favorite.  Lester excelled in all areas of campus life: academics and extra-curricula activities: football, basketball, music and “chess”. In 1967, he won the Road March competition with ”Ten Dollar Fine”. In 1968, his rendition of “Play Mas”  earned him the Calypso King crown. Upon graduating he lived the Mausica motto:  “ Moulding A Nation Through Service”.

Today, my Havenite Brother is widely known as “Efebo”. In 1970, during the Black Power revolution in Trinidad, Lester was detained, incarcerated for six months. A transformation occurred. His Black Brothers called him Mwalimu Efebo. Mwalimu means “teacher”. Not even a temporary detention on Nelson Island could deter Teacher Efebo from his life’s mission or obscure his vision for his beloved Trinidad and Tobago. He longed to showcase the culture of TNT. Efebo is a poet, playwright, stage director, dramaturge, mentor, diplomat and Lecturer in Theatre Arts at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine.  In December 2011, while lecturing part-time, Efebo completed his doctoral thesis: “Public Policy and Management and Culture and The Arts In Post-Independent Trinidad and Tobago: A Crisis of Concept, Value and Incremental Indifference”.

I asked Efebo, “What is your greatest accomplishment?”

After reflecting for a few moments, Efebo  responded, “ My wife, Lucille, and I have raised two beautiful, successful, well-mannered,  decent and God-fearing daughters, Karma-Leigh and Dara-Makida.”

Space does not permit me to list all of Efebo’s achievements, awards and his contributions to the communities he has touched. Therefore, I encourage you to google “Lester Efebo Wilkinson” and discover what great things he has done. Then you too will shout, “Well done Dr. Efebo, My Mausican Brother.”

Rodney Foster, 1966-68."

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Jan-30-2139Hrs

Thanks Errol.  I downloaded all four pages of the registration and all other pertinent information.   I still need to know if it's too late to mail page one of the registration.  It will arrive later than Jan. 31st.  I am also needing the address, said to be on page1.  It's not there. Please let me know as soon as possible.  Thanks in advance.

patitarobbins@aol.com

"-----Original Message-----

From: Errol Lashley

To: patitarobbins

Sent: Sat, Jan 26, 2013 2:21 pm

Subject: Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

Hi Pat,

You can download the Registration form from here:-

http://home.cogeco.ca/~elashley/mausica/mausicareunion2013.htm

The Registration and Schedule has been updated.  Please visit and bookmark (add to favourites) the above link.  Check the page often between now and 2013-JUL for further revisions.

Errol"

Pat (Gill) Robbins

RE: condolences

2013-Jan-29-1930Hrs

On behalf of the Mausica Reunion 2013 Committee I would like to extend  condolences to Gerard Narinesingh and his family on the passing of his brother Uric. Let perpetual light shine upon him, may he rest in peace.

Clare Creese-Woodley

RE: Opinion??

2013-Jan-26-2031Hrs

Hi Errol,

I have been following up the various comments concerning Machel Montano. I did not want to get involved with making any suggestions and I do not want any unwarranted attack made towards me. Yet I feel strongly to make a few observations and statements. Firstly, I have come to learn that there are three sides to a story; my side, your side, and the truth. To those of us who have been commenting,do we know the truth, or is it only one side? Recently I have also learnt that there is very Grave Danger in hearing only one side of the story.Last but not least, I would take  my brothers and sisters Mausican to the Wise Man Solomon who has stated that, and I quote " There is a way that seemeth right unto man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." ( Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25 ) and also the the Apostle /Disciple John who states, I quote " If we confess our sins, he ( God)  is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." May God Bless us All.

Ansel Knights

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Jan-26-1352Hrs

Hi Errol, and fellow Mausicans,

Thanks Errol for your faithfulness and devotion.  It is much appreciated. Here I'd like to wish you and the rest of our Mausica family best wishes for 2013.  And God' s peace to all who lost loved ones.

I am planning to come to the upcoming reunion.  But what a shock I got when I read that the deadline for registration is Jan 31st?  Is it too late for me?  I never saw the registration. HELP!!!!!!!!!!

patitarobbins@aol.com

Pat (Gill) Robbins

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Jan-26-0930Hrs

Deal All Mausicans,

Happy New Year. I wish you a year of peace, tranquility, prosperity and generosity. I wish to congratulate Felix on his song and to let him know it can be a soca hit. (Smile).

I would also like to cite Pat Ryan's reference to Hazel's social justice alternative as a correction model. I certainly believe that is what we need to teach our children at home and in school so that we can change this society.

Maureen

PS. Thank you Errol for keeping us in touch

Maureen Ryan

RE: New Contact

2013-Jan-25-0835Hrs

Please add Judith Suite (67-69- Kirkendale) on your list. Her email address is etimoyhart@hotmail.com

She communicates mainly this way as a bout of meningitis a few years ago left her hearing-impaired.

Pearl Mulrain

RE: A note on restorative justice, from my reading, not personal experience.

2013-Jan-24-2258Hrs

Among the people of Nanavut, the semi-autonomous region of Northern Canada, there are very few murders, and apparently fewer deliberate killings. A man might injure somone while hunting, or in a drunken fight, based on alcohol which the Europeans introduced to them, and which they drink profusely.

When a man kills another, he has, by custom, to take on the responsibility for caring for the dead man's family as if he was their father. When he hunts, they have to be fed first, if he works in a specific job, his paycheck takes care of their needs equally with his family.

Once, they used to be thrown into Canadian jails, to waste away, depriving the community of TWO breadwinners. Then, when Nanavut was allowed to make their own laws, they put this system in place. Tribal elders see to its enforcement.

I have always said that when Europeans came to the Other World, they created a fort and a stockade, and a jail to put dissenters in. Over the years they have jailed a number of people who did not agree with them,. T U B Butler in Trinidad being the most famous one locally. Mandela, Martin Luther King, Mohandas Ghandi are others.

The urge to destroy Machel comes from that same anger/envy of success that village people in previous slave societies are so full of. Somebody prospering? Bun dong dey house. Little miss chippy walking the street like she think she is something special? Some dutty old man would rape her, to put her in her place.

The argument about Machel should be widened into a questioning of how we stop so? All the education, opportunities and wealth have not made trinis a generous hearted or forgiving people. Any man worth his salt would have defended his woman. I remember the story well, and wondered why it took this long to get to court,(I thought he had since done another wrong) and now, if this "Little Black Boy" is going to be made to pay, for being cocky with success. As a convicted felon in his own country, he can no longer come to the US and bring down the house at Madison Square Garden.We need to be sure we understand what we are punishing. Grind him/her into the dust seems to be our favorite response to Who he think he playing?

The magistrate/judge could have given him some community service work like teaching reading, for a month at one of the orphanages. Then she should have sentenced the woman who threw the drink to work alongside him. But that makes too much sense, you hear.

Linda Edwards

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Jan-24-1258Hrs

Hi Errol,

Warm greetings from T&T. Much appreciation for keeping us in touch with each other weekly...ours is the first email I open on Fridays. Please add these Mausicans to the list.

Carol Wren-O'Brien 1970-72 Wingate

cwob27@hotmail.com

Orville Wolsey 1971-73 Sunset Villa

wolsey@tstt.net.tt

Looking forward to seeing you in July.

Blessings

Angela McAlister

RE: Hurry! Hurry!

2013-Jan-24-0712Hrs

To my Fellow Mausicans,

Get on board! Get on board! Last train to San Fernando. Deadline to register for Reunion 2013 is January 31st.

Special appeal to my year group,  66-68, and the Red Guards. Geezmo,  round up de posse. Irma , Heather, Kendall, Gerry, Myrtle. It was good seeing you in New York in 2011.

Call Maria at 642-4231. Register today.

By de way Maria, see if yuh could negotiate ah discount rate for those who want to overnight at the Hyatt.

As usual,

Rodney Foster

RE: Registering for the Reunion in Trinidad

2013-Jan-22-20545Hrs

Hello Errol:

My name is Bernice Blackman-Mausica 67-69. I am planning to attend the 2013 Mausica Reunion.

I was reading the blog and saw that registration for the 2013 Reunion in Trinidad is terminated as of January 31st. Unfortunately, I have been in and out of the country over an extended period and have not had the time to register for the reunion. I will be out of the country again from January 26 to February 2. How and when can I register? To tell you the truth, I have not seen a registration form. Do you have one?

Hoping to hear from you ASAP

Bernice Blackman

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Jan-20-1845Hrs

Sincerest condolences to Tony Sanchez (Mausica 1972-1974) on the passing of his brother Andre Sanchez....R I P.

(from Patricia Chuckaree née Kalloo...Mausica1971-1973)

RE: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Jan-20-1756Hrs

Errol,

This Machel story, people forgetting the genesis of the story .........

....Machel went to Zen with a female friend / date ...minding his business....ah woman pulled at him, he ignored her.....

Machel dancing with his date and the next thing yuh know the woman (who Machel ignored) throw her drink on Machel's date

"by accident" ........ five years later 'is ah  National Debate ???!! God help this country !!!!

Lord have Mercy !!!!! ...Those pictures Trini Fruits & Foods ................oooooohhh Lord 

Patricia Mc Cree

RE: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Jan-19-0530Hrs

Fellow Mausicans

I believe Hazel has hit the nail on the head.  It is never about one side versus the other, and Restorative Justice is a good way of facilitating true and lasting reconciliation. It will of course take tremendous humility on the part of the wrong doers not only to recognise the wrong, but to take a giant step further by acknowledging and apologising for that wrong.  All responsible persons must to do this.  Teachers in particular always have the opportunity to pass this lesson on to those in their care.  Teachers who are parents have a special responsibliity to give this life lesson to their children from their earliest years.

I hope the sessions at The Arouca Pastoral Centre will be well attended and that those who participate will find a way forward to re establishing peace in the land.  Politicians, especially at this time, have to ask themselves what their real agenda is and who they are meant to be serving.

re the Reunion... I trust late deciders will take the opportunity to register before the revised final deadline.

Blessings, Pat

Attached a photo and a close up of our Silk Cotton tree getting ready to blossom... a sign of hope.

Pat Ryan

RE: Mausica's Roll of Honour

2013-Jan-18-2125Hrs

Dear Alan:

I would have never known that Morris Marshall was a Mausican, until you nominated him for public service.

I was specially touched by this as it was the first nomination I recieved.

I have opened a file to keep this list. I hope others would jump in and call names. Everyone should know that I am open to direct communication on this topic. I also welcome letters, again directly to me on "Why and How I Became A Teacher." I will close the files at the end of February, so I can get the stuff written up .

Thank you for caring.

Linda Edwards

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Jan-18-0934Hrs

Dear Errol

One of the lines of argument I notice in the Machel debate which I started, is that those wishing him jail may not have children of their own. I do not like nor agree with this kind of thinking. It cannot be supported, and could be unwittingly hurtful. We should bear that in mind. Parents do not have any monopoly on compassion.

Theodore Lewis

(Lord Scratchie

Fair Haven--1967-1969.

RE: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Jan-18-0915Hrs

May I wish all Mausicans and their loved ones love, peace, joy, happiness and showers of blessings for 2013 and thereafter. I see that Pat has “bigged up” my attempt at a calypso. Thank goodness she could not write the music because there was none to write J. Hoever let me give you some of what I remember:

Ah ole mosquito was dying

If you hear how the wife was crying (2 lines twice)

Before he pass away

He had someting to say

So he call he family in union

And dis was his confession

Chorus

Ah bite up man in dee morning

Ah bite up man in dee evening

Ah sorry for what ah do

But ah bite up some woman too

All dem mosquito gather

And dey crying for dey father (2 lines twice)

But one mosquito name Bill

Only studying ‘bout the will

So he bend dong and ask his father

To leave him a barrel of yellow fever

(this was accompanied by appropriate buzzing but Buzzie was not part of the chorus J.)

[I am thinking of quickening up the tempo and singing it as soca.]

Felix Edinborough

RE: Mausica Reunion Update

2013-Jan-17-1951Hrs

Dear My Peeps,

It is coming around the corner, When it comes We have to be ready. So we eh really ready yet like Bunji.  We ready for d Carnival like Bunji. Dat tune nice fuh so.  Nadia Batson and Sass have a great one called "Shangri La" Yuh will ketch d power and lose yuhself in d spirit.  Ting gettin nice.

Anyway, I feelin' de fever comin' so before ah really get d fever. It eh go be long again. Not sure if you will hear from me in the next four weeks.   PLEASE NOTE:

Absolutely no payments for Registration/Dinner and Dance will be accepted after January 31st.  

We must begin our implementation plan. and for those who have registered, the closing date for events in which you will participate is February 28th.

Now here is info. re: Accommodation: (Rodney yuh readin'?)

• Mt. Irvine Bay Hotel:

Superior Rooms: located in the main hotel building with a/c, tv, phone, bath, safe, balcony/patio.

SIngle Occupancy:  TT678.00 per room

Twin Occupancy  :  TT824.00 per room

The above rates are inclusive of full breadfast, service charge & taxes.

Note: Guests should contact the hotel directly to make reservations, & indicate that they are part of the "Mausica Teachers' College Reunion in order to get the special rates quoted.

Please note that all guests will be responsible for his/her own account and should have credit card details ready upon booking in order to guarantee the reservation.

Telephone #s for Mt. Irvine:  639-8871/2/3

• You can also get in touch with Viola's Place.  We have arranged with her.  You can call and indicate that you are part of "Mausica Teachers' College Reunion and you will get special rates. By the time you call, they would have worked  out rates for July.

Telephone # for Viola's is 639-9441

• There is a cute guest house opposite Viola's called "Twilight Inn"  a/c, kitchenette, tv, very comfortable for those who are not fussy.  It is in Lowlands.

Telephone # for Twilight Inn is 639-0917  Their rooms are $300.00 a night.

• Remember also Golden Thistle: Gerard Callendar's Brother, Michael

# for Golden Thistle is 639-8521  or 7060.  Location is Store Bay Local Road

• and of course there is Kariwak-

# for Kariwak Village is 639-8442 Call and find out rates for July. Bookings must be made 1 month in advance.

THE EXCITEMENT IS BUILDING. ARE WE "ORN" LIKE BOIL CORN OR WHAT?

HAPPY CARNIVAL EVERYONE.  CREATIVITY, CAMARADERIE, COMMUNITY, UNITY,

Anna Maria Mora

RE: Condolences

2013-Jan-16-0353Hrs

Sincere Condolences go out to Sydna Grell ( Belgrove ) on the passing of her brother Keith and also to Clive Grell of his brother in law

Ansel Knights

RE: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Jan-14-0423Hrs

Errol,

I appreciate the extremely valuable work you are doing for us Mausicans. I wish you God's blessing on your life and that of your family for this new year. Could you please bring on board ELVA ST.HILAIRE-DYER .Her address is dyerelva@hotmail.com

Thank you.

Lincoln Dyer

RE: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Jan-13-2048Hrs

Dear Errol,

I have read all the comments about Machel.  I agree that family is there to provide support and assistance. The child on the other hand must show or express a sense of remorse for the situation. Maybe I have missed his expression of remorse. Rehabilitation cannot begin until he comes to the realisation that he did some thing which was not acceptable. Who from the Mausica family is willing to sit and talk with Machel. and provide some form of counsel.  I wonder how Mr Williams, Mrs Cuffie or Harry Joe would have dealt with situation like this.
Cynthia Lawrence

RE: Calling all Mausicans, especially calypso singers, and calypso lovers.

2013-Jan-13-1325Hrs

We used to do Fall Fall Fall during choir practice breaks and in camp....Trevor a pure fool...may he rest in peace

the chorus of his gem on an outbreak of diahorrea on campus;

Fairhaven in the background with dey por por dor; por por dor

Wingate and Mayfair Mansion with dey ra ta ta ta; ra ta, ta, ta

And those from Sunset Villa, Kirkendale and Villanova

With dey tu tu ah; tu tu ah; tu tu,ah.

Theodore Lewis

RE: Calling all Mausicans, especially calypso singers, and calypso lovers.

2013-Jan-13-1317Hrs

We had a song in my year group called "Mayfair mansion have a radio station". I am trying to figure out who sangd it. It was a Mausica lady....not sure if it was not Agnes Howell...who for sure sang in the competition....someone will remember,,,,,I will contact Pearl Mulrain about this....

Rutherford Hughes who went on to be Barbados calypso king several times was probably calypso king one year....

Theodore Lewis

RE: Calling all Mausicans, especially calypso singers, and calypso lovers.

2013-Jan-13-0705Hrs

Hi Folks

re Hot water's lyrics: One ah dem name was BIll ( not Will) ... he only interested in de will

Pat Ryan

RE: Calling all Mausicans, especially calypso singers, and calypso lovers.

2013-Jan-13-0659Hrs

I woke up this morning thinking of Theodore's e mail to Linda's and her earlier comments.

There was a Song sheet with some calypsos at the Toronto Reunion in 2005... any one kept theirs?

I remember Trevor Davis singing La Porrinden ( inspired by one of our folk songs) and a calypso about Choir practice.  Also Felix "Hot Water" Edinborough with one about  a mosquito.   See what I remember below and fill in the many blanks please.  If everyone send in what they recall we can put some of the songs together.

Also at one of our assemblies  someone did a parody of Just Because ( was this a Jim Reeves song?) which brought the house down.

Was there a calypso with  " another bomb drop!!" ?

Trevor Davis:

La Porrinden: dis string ban ah children ah have here, dey too much for me; dis string ban ah children ah tell yuh, is a trouble tree

dis string ban ah children ah tell yuh, dey too much for me; de whole bunch ah dese little devils , dey want to kill me

one ah dem jus like ah...

dey jus like dey wutless fader... Zandolee  etc and also included a piece in patois : uni quat' cinq, six ti lezards ...dey want to kill me

I do not remember the title of his other calypso but it was generally about the Warden's frustration with us at Choir practice( especially the TENORS!!!)

(chorus, based on Oh Holy Night) :  Fall, fall, fall, fall, fall!  sing up tenors, sing up please

fall, fall, fall, fall , fall, fall,... fall on something beside yuh knees  ( dat's all Folks!)

fall, fall, fall, fall, fall, fall  .....    ( all I can remember folks)

Hot Water( Progues)  Ah ole mosquito was dying, if yuh see how he children cryin (2)

one a dem name was Wii, he only interested in de will

so he ben down and ask he father to leave him a barrel ah Yellow Fever

Chorus ( father) Ah bite up man in de mornin, ah bite up man in de evenin

Ah sorry for what ah do, yuh know? ah bite up some women too!

Pat Ryan

RE: Calling all Mausicans, especially calypso singers, and calypso lovers.

2013-Jan-12-1856Hrs

Theodore Lewis, Scratchie, Mausica Calypso king of 69, wrote to me suggesting we include a section of the College's history, on Calypsoes as social commentary.

(All I am hearing in my head is "and the Pudding tumble down as the Joe was speaking, and the Pudding tumble down, and mash up the evening.")

I tossed the project back to him.He tossed part of it back to me.

Now here is YOUR part.

What calypsoes do You remember?

Who composed/sang them?

What year was that?

Did you enter the competition?

Did you win? If not, who won?

You may do this also for friends who have passed on to the ancestors, if you recall the details

Theodore's chapter will include, we hope, actual lyrics, in chronological order, attributed to their owners,  with commentary by him.

Now, this is a big effort, and there is no time to waste.

So, as soon as this gets to you, I want you to please get busy. It will be in the blog, but in the meantime, each one who receives this, from me or Scratchie, is asked to forward it to others within a day, so that responses will begin coming it.. (Treat it as a hot piece of gossip nuh, and tell everybody.)

We want to hear from you. ASAP

Linda Edwards

Mrs. Linda Romain.

Lecturer, 1967-69.

RE: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Jan-11-1252Hrs

Hi Errol,

Happy New Year to you and to all Mausicans where ever you are. Hope all have a wonderful year in spite of the challenges that lie ahead.

Re: Nominations for the history. I would like to nominate Morris Marshall (the Mash) of 69-71 for service to the community. Morris served in youth groups in East POS before he came to Mausica with another Mausican Adrian Debique (70-72)  After College Morris continued to work with the youth and eventually was elected as a member of Parliament. He was a service oriented person. We cannot forget the out pouring of love demonstrated on the streets of POS at his funeral from the people he touched when he was alive.

It might be nice for other Mausican who know the nominees to verify or add information as they are presented, this may be helpful in the selection process.

Earl Alexander 69-71

RE: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Jan-11-1228Hrs

Dear Errol,

I just had to give a response to the Machel saga. I think of Machel as my own son. I love him. I was in college with his parents, Liz and Monty. My four children are fans of Machel. I feel a tinge of sadness over the fact that he got involved in that situation. To me , he must be held responsible for his actions. However,as Gloria Bobb wrote, those who wish jail for him either have no children or have never been humbled by their children's actions.

I believe Machel knows that he did wrong and all this publicity must have affected him and embarrassed his parents. If we truly think of ourselves as "the Mausica family" we should now be praying for Machel and the Montano family that they would weather this present storm and emerge from it as stronger members of this Mausica family we claim to love so much. God bless the the Montano's. God bless Mausicans!!!!

Judith Lennard-Hills

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Jan-11-0954Hrs

Mausicans:

OOPs again, about what seems like, and are, typos. The laptop has some keys that need to be pounded. When writing in a hurry, i miss them.  Sometimes whole words get left out. There are TWO readers proofing what goes into the History.

My sense of language is not challenged. Delayed print is.I am rushing off to my poetry workshop, BUT I read this twice.

Linda Edwards

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Jan-11-0759Hrs

Dear Errol,

I have been following the Machel debate with a great deal of interest. I had decided to keep my views to myself but now, as so often happens, I feel a responsibility to put in my five cents, as justice is something close to my heart and my life's work. I am a parent, a lawyer, an educator, a consultant and a trainer. Most of you know that I resigned my well-paying job in the Bahamas to return home and most of my friends think I am crazy to do this, given the state of the world economy. I have been unemployed for going on five months. It is an act of faith. At the end of this month, I am conducting a course in Facilitiating Restorative Conferences. You may be thinking all of this irrelevant to the Machel discussion. It is not. Scratchie,you have written advocating restorative justice. I clipped and kept that article because it resonated with me, having received training in this area and I was in the process of receiving additional training. What should happen in the Machel Montano case is restorative justice. Restorative justice asks the question: How can we repair the harm to the victim and restore his well-being as well as that of the wrong-doer? The criminal justice system sees crime as a crime against the state, whereas restorative justice sees a crime as a wrong done to a victim and the community. A restorative justice conference brings together in a structured meeting, facilitated by a trained facilitator, the wrongdoer and his supporters or community and the victim and his community and they decide how the harm is to be repaired. The conference can happen only when the wrongdoer admits that he has done wrong and is willing to make amends. It brings about healing and peace in a society. It is happening all over the world now. It is being used in workplaces, families, communities, schools  and in the justice system. I do not know if any of you read the New York Times Magazine article last week of the restorative justice session that took place in Florida between the 19 year-old murderer and the parents of his victim, his 19-year old fiancee, whom he had shot in the head after a long -drawn out quarrell. Scratchie and Maria are both right, but both are looking at the issue through defective lens, that of the wrongdoer or victim. We must consider the need to restore the well-being of both sides,their families,the community.All are affected by this crime. This matter must be carefully handled. The implications are huge. I would offer my services free in this case, but then I might be accused of interfering in the administration of justice. I suggest we say a prayer for God to guide the magistrate in this case, for Machel and his family, and for the government to send key persons to my course at the Arouca Pastoral Centre on January 30-31.

Peace to all,

Hazel Thompson-Ahye

RE: Concerning the history of Mausica Teachers' College

2013-Jan-08-1955Hrs

Dear Mausicans:

I would like to inlude in the brief history of the college, a listing by year, in chronological order, the names of some Mausicans, perhaps four per year of graduation, who have distinguished themselves in the fields of education,- including tertiary eduation, public service( medicine, serving as senators or ambasadors etc), and business.The emphasis is not meant to be on what one has achieved, but rather what one has given back to the wider community. So, a millioniare, per se, should not make the lit, if there i another millioniare who could be nominated who sponsors a service group for mentally challened children.

To be fair, I do not think anyone should naminate themselves,  the nominee must of course either be from the year that the nominator graduated, or be his/her personal friend from another year.

I would like this to be a public act, so please list your nominee as well as your name and year, to the Mausica Weekly.

I am trying to omplete major segments of this history, by my 72nd birthday, MArch 27, to fowrd to MAria so they could ecide what to hold and what to fol, bfor getting it printed.

You should all know that I do not plan to attend the final reunion in person.I will do my part, however, to make this project succeed.

Start sending in your nominations. You can send them directly to me, but I woul rather them go through the blog. Transparency is my thing.

Linda Edwards

RE: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Jan-06-2045Hrs

Hi

Please include Juliana Sam (69-71) on your mailing list - juliesam@gmail.com

Thanks

Dhanpati Ramcharitar

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Jan-06-1045Hrs

Blessings to All

What's the obsession with Machel? Those who wish "jail" fuh him clearly don't have children of their own......or were never "humbled" by their own. Let the law take its course.

Best wishes to the Montanos at this difficult time.

Did you smile with someone today, expecting nothing in return? GB

Gloria Bobb

RE: Greetings

2013-Jan-05-0745Hrs

To all Mausicans,

May our year be filled with God's blesings of good health, in spite of the diabetes, peace, and joy within our families. May there always be something we can do to make life more enjoyable. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As for Machel, We should not protect him from learning his lesson. Let's think of what we are teaching his progeny by our actions.

Barbara Mellowes

re: Machel, Mausica and "unknown" Dr. Lewis.

2013-Jan-04-1519Hrs

If Mausica is really a family, then Machel Montano is our child, a child of the village. I did not read the comment of the person who called Professor Theodore Lewis an "unknown," an insult really, but regardless of the long documentation this comment generated, we must return to the original premise. Machel is the product of two Mausicans. He, as Lewis said, is ours.

Regardless of whether you support Scratchie's position, as Anna Maria did not, you have to agree that he is entitled to his position, and the space allowed in the newsletter that allows him to make his case.

Children who have fame and fortune thrust upon them, are ofte troubled, the force of the limelight and fame, does not allow them to grow normally. Machel should be compared then, to American child-stars, who never experienced the give and take of the school-yard, bullies ad all, and who therefore miss out on a certain level of human interaction.

I want to address also, to all Mausicans, the "it good for he" syndrome; which seems to dictate a breathless waiting for the successful to collapse to the ground, amidst the jeers of former admirers, jealous and bitter, and who expect so much more of people who are merely human.. Our doppelganger, our evil twin our Jekyl and Hyde other selves, are always waiting. It may have been this other, ungenerous self on the part of the one questioning Scratchie, who spoke. And the conversation goes on to those who question the extensive coverage. Did we ever question such coverage before, and if not, why now?

I think of Dr. Wayne Kublalsingh, emaciating himself for what he believed was a good cause; and a former Mausican, whom I despise, now risen to high office says to him, via the media "Hurry up an dead."

It prompts me to raise to the reading group the question of whether enough was done by the faculty to instill moral instruction, good vs evil, in our future teachers. I think of the young man who attempted to rape a fellow student one night after itroductory social, but other girls came to the dorm just in time. I think of how the young men in his dorm sliced him up with tiny razor cuts, until he had to go to the Arima District Hospital for treatment, and the call from my sister, the recieving nurse, to inquire what had really happened, because the story of bis falling through a pane of glass could not explain the cuts on his back and abdomen. I think of my raising the question with Harry Joe, and his comment that "the young men in his dorm fixed him up, and it is better that having the girl's father turn up on campus with a cutlass."

I think of the heated debate we has as lecturers when it was time to vote on licencing this young man as a teacher. All the men voted for him,. All the women saw visions of him trying to rape some overdeveloped country schoolgirl., and voted gainst him. There were more men on the staff.

I think about this, and whether we should include it in a history of Musica, and the noisy No! of you all, and I write it here to say, that Scratcie has some moral sense that others are not willing to speak on. It takes a village... and if Mausica was/is a vilage. Machel is our child. Jack Warner is our product.

CONSIDER THIS A LECTURE LONG OVERDUE, for both the classes that I taught, and the extended family. I will light a peace candle, as I send this. I do not know who the young men were who cut him up, so please do not tell me now.

Finis.

Linda Edwards

RE: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Jan-04-1453Hrs

I too share the view that, while not condoning what he did, redemption and compassion are called for in the circumstances. Too often the instinct is to criticise, condemn and destroy as if we ourselves have never sinned.

As a child of fellow Mausicans I see Machel (talented as he is; human frailties and all), as my extended son (no apologies to anyone for this) and am prepared to kill the fatted calf if and when he sees the light. I dearly hope that he will mature from this experience and that his light will continue to shine.

Rodney Charles

Sunset Villa 68-70

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Jan-04-1056Hrs

Hi Erroll,

Wishing you and all Mausicans  best wishes for 2013 - good health, prosperity and happiness.  Thank you for keeping us together.  I have been able to reconnect with many of my group (70 - 72)  and it is wonderful!

Lydia Naimool Jones

The Branch, Tobago.

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Jan-04-0943Hrs

Dear Errol:

I have some further thoughts on this question of what it means to be a Mausican, what are the limits of this concept, and where we should draw lines and condemn. When Martin Brathwaite (Haven, 1966-1968) died, Efebo Wilkinson wrote in his memory saying that what stood out about him was that when we needed MEN in the Haven, we could count on "Braff". I knew what he meant. We are teachers yes, but we are not pushovers. A mausican is not just an ice-cream social, tea-sipping, folk-song singing goody two-shoes. The place was too representative of the culture for that. We had our priests and pundits, and La Sorrorite people, but we also had people whose experience prior to campus was to hang out on corners, one famously with Dr. Rat.

So when a Mausican or his/her offspring stumbles, we should try to help him/her break the fall, and leave the criticism and the goodyshoeing for the Mausica haters. Elsewhere in a winning calypso, Efebo in 1968 sang the following first two lines in his "Mausica":

"We have a big problem here since 1963"

"People on the outside dey only washing dey mouth on we"

The key word here is "Outside". To be inside is to be a Mausican. "Inside" does not mean merely behind the fence that separated us from the chicken farm or cane and orange fields, or Piarco. It is rather a state of mind. Insiders must care for and about our own, and that has to be transported across time and generations.

On this point I agree with the sentiments of my Haven brother Rodney Foster who writes in the blog about what it means to be family. You can't be a Mausican and turn your back on a second generation member who would have been absolutely at home in Haven, or even Mayfair. Talking about Machel.

Theodore Lewis (Scratchie)

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Jan-03-2208Hrs

Dear Errol:

I have great regard for Maria, especially on questions of social psychology, where she has done work that has gotten national acclaim. I respect her view on the question of Machel Montano, but do not agree with it. For any child of Mausica, my position remains that we should be empathetic and not judgmental. Certainly, we should not be wishing the worst. When the child of a Mausican is in trouble, let us rally around even with a heavy heart. That is what families do when sheep go astray. The law of averages says that some Mausicans themselves, and some children of Mausicans, may not do the rest of us proud. But families are not for fair weather only. What would Fitzy or the Cuff have to say about this? Their instinct if someone drank too much, or became uncontrollable, was to rehabilitate, where the view of others was to expel. And it is they who are the authors of what it means to be a Mausican.

Theodore Lewis. (By the way, I do know "Esmond" Francois and I am certain he knows me. I am hoping he is not now carrying a different first name from the one I knew when we were in choir).

Theodore Lewis

RE:

2013-Jan-02-2229Hrs

Hi Errol,

Seasons greetings to all Mausicans and may all that the Lord has destined for your lives be achieved in this season.

Please add Yasmin Khan (77-79) to the email list. Her address is capricorny_50@yahoo.co.uk.

Patricia Batson

RE: MY Two Cents

2013-Jan-02-2115Hrs

Hello Errol,

Happy New Year. Please add my piece to the blog.

Thank you.

Rodney Foster

Monday, 31st December, 2012

Dear Errol and my Fellow Mausicans,

May we all have a blessed and healthy New Year.

Allow me to add my two cents to the current Machel debate. Initially I was indifferent to the whole discussion.  However, after reading T.D. Jakes’ book, “Reposition Yourself”, and reading some of the positions taken by a few of  my fellow Mausicans,  I have decided to break my silence. I remembered that during slavery and the Jewish holocaust too many people chose to remain silent.

T.D. Jakes reminds us that we must give others a second chance, an opportunity to be redeemed, restored and repositioned. He recalls the biblical story of the shepherd who went in search of his lost sheep and the overwhelming joy he experienced when he found it and returned to his flock. He also reminded his readers that Jesus Christ forgave his disciple, Peter, who had denied Him three times. In addition, he emphasized that we should not abandon our family.

Jump high or jump low, Machel Montano belongs to the Mausican family. All the children of MTC graduates are our family members. In times of crisis, while we may not condone the child’s actions, we must band together to help that child reposition himself or herself. A redeemed Machel can do much more in the larger community than behind the prison walls. He has the talents and financial resources to make positive contributions in TNT, the Caribbean and the world at large. Perhaps this is the good that can emerge from this embarrassing situation. A public apology and financial retribution to the victims may be part of the healing process. In addition, as a businessman in the entertainment industry, Machel has created thousands of jobs and millions of dollars that put food on the table for many households. Allow him to continue and expand his business.

My friends, celebrities are human too and can make terrible mistakes. Remember when the Mighty Sparrow, Calypso King of the World, sang “Ten to One Is Murder” and later on invited some hecklers in the audience to “Kiss meh black, Grenadian arse.”  Since then he has redeemed himself and was awarded a doctorate from UWI.

I believe that Machel could also reposition and redeem himself. This incident is not only about Machel. It is about the danger that surrounds us in Sweet TNT and the world at large. This tragedy can be the stimulus to design programs to halt the moral decline that is claiming so many lives in the country. Machel, other celebrities and qualified change agents can play a vital role in restoring TNT to a higher level.

Therefore, my friends, let us not throw out the baby with the bath water. Machel and TNT need help. Let us seize this opportunity to “Mould a nation through service”.

Rodney Foster

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Jan-02-1245Hrs

A Blessed New Year to all Mausicans and their families...biological, learning/teaching communities, retirees etc...

For those who have heard of "Borrachos" parang group that was spawned from Mausica's talented choirs, there was a watershed moment this year when they did not parang! Our 30-40 year old children grew up with Borrachos and the fine strains of their voices at about 3.30 a.m on Christmas morning. My neighbors listened and enjoyed from their warm beds.

I'm saying this to say "Change is inevitable, we're growing older each day, and embrace the beauty of every experience".

Still hoping for the return ----Christmas morning 2013. Everald & Gloria Bobb

Did you smile with someone today, expecting nothing in return? GB

Gloria Bobb