My brother in law Norman died on March 1. 2021, and in his passing we lost a great Guyanese Canadian.
I was blessed to marry into my boss’ family, the Sydney Abdools.
Norman was the eldest, then Marjorie Fredericks, Freddy, Beryl Fredericks and many years after that, Barbara Magalee and my wife, Norma the baby of the family. When I got to know Norman he was tall and slim and elegant, a handsome man with a dry sense of humour which salted his view of life, often. Continue reading →
Saron Fanel Videojournalist, CTV News Toronto – Thursday, February 25, 2021
TTC: Modern streetcar
TORONTO — Fenton Jagdeo has been riding the Toronto subway since he was a baby.
Jagdeo’s family is from Guyana, but he was born and raised in the city’s North York neighbourhood. He still lives there today.
At 26 years old, Jagdeo is the youngest-ever commissioner to serve on the TTC board. He also adds diversity to the board of 10 members. Continue reading →
“Auntie Comesee”, with family friend Melanie Seaton, daughter of Retired GDF Colonel Pluto Martindale (deceased).
By Frederick Halley
LAMENTING that she hasn’t been able to attend church, concerts and the gym over the last year or so because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, celebrated a significant milestone on February 8, 2021. The famous storyteller and singer who over the years thrilled audiences in Guyana and Toronto, Canada with her unique style, turned 100. Continue reading →
Am I Guyanese, British-Guyanese, Indo-Guyanese, South American, Canadian, Guyanese-Canadian, or some blend of these different cultures? Is my background East-Indian, West-Indian or Indo-Caribbean? What about the fact that my geographical place of birth was South America? Am I just an eclectic person— one of mixed cultural heritages?
The simple answer is that I have been influenced by a diversity of cultures from the day I was born. Whether I’m definitely one thing or the other is worth questioning but the answer that I have will be different to that of another person from the same background. Guyanese are not all the same just as Canadians are not all the same. There are variables.
In today’s world he would probably be called an imperialist and an agent and a defendant of imperialism. He was, in fact a soldier who was an original thinker, one prepared to adopt his enemy’s strategies and the lessons of the people indigenous to the region.
His name was Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Boy Scout Movement.
He was born in 1857. He joined the British Army after school and fought in India and Africa. Continue reading →
Her name had to be Chunkie. She was too scrawny to be anything else! She was grey with stripes of black running through her sparse fur. The other kittens in the litter were furry and their fur was glossy black or shiny white. They loved to be picked up and stroked and purred contentedly when they sat in someone’s arms. Chunkie was not so obliging and was likely to claw and spit at whoever was trying to pick her up!
Eventually she was the only one of the litter that was not taken in by another family and so she became ours. Chunkie never put on weight and grew to be a lean unlovely animal with the same sour personality. Some tomcat must have found her attractive however as after she was grown she produced her own litter of kittens. Continue reading →
On arrival in Toronto my aunt and cousin Mike gave us a soft landing by generously giving us a comfortable place to live and coaching us in what to expect.
Believe me it helped. My aunt Dee lived in Willowdale, in a bungalow, on a pleasant treed lot. She and my cousin Mike had lived in apartment in Don Mills until they were in a position to move to a house. Mike was a life Insurance salesman who had a lot of contacts among the Guyanese community in Toronto, some of whom had been his clients when he sold insurance for Demerara Life in Guyana. Continue reading →
Chapter 3: FOB – Fresh off the boat – “Welcome to Canada.” – By Geoff Burrowes
Don’t anyone tell you that the first year in a new country is going to be easy! If they tell you that say “Y’u lie!” or if you’ve already adapted “Liar, liar pants on fire!” We had more advantages than most and still culture shock hit us full blast.
We couldn’t have been received more graciously. My cousin Mike met us at the airport and brought us right home. Auntie Dee smiling said “Welcome to Canada.” with big hugs and showed me, Norma, Brian, Dave and Ian into their home where they had a self contained room prepared for us in the basement. Mike had all the Government forms that we would have to submit, such as the applications for OHIP and for National Insurance. Continue reading →
– By: Geoff Burrowes
CANADA: This 26-year-old Toronto man is the youngest-ever TTC commissioner – CTV News
Saron Fanel Videojournalist, CTV News Toronto – Thursday, February 25, 2021
TTC: Modern streetcar
TORONTO — Fenton Jagdeo has been riding the Toronto subway since he was a baby.
Jagdeo’s family is from Guyana, but he was born and raised in the city’s North York neighbourhood. He still lives there today.
At 26 years old, Jagdeo is the youngest-ever commissioner to serve on the TTC board. He also adds diversity to the board of 10 members. Continue reading →
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