Dear Editor,
On Friday, 27th April 2018, I was on a Caribbean Airlines flight from Guyana to Toronto, and had lots of time to read the day’s newspapers. Of particular interest to me was the anonymous letter in another section of the media, titled “Skeldon Estate management must be complimented for ‘walking the talk’.”
This letter poignantly contrasts the erstwhile anachronistic exclusivity of the Senior Staff Compound with the recent inclusivity which allows rank and file members of the community and their children full use of all the facilities, subject of course to security and cost recovery controls.
The current administrators of Skeldon Estate have obviously taken several bold and imaginative steps to turn around the idle, cost-incurring assets of the Senior Staff Compound to at least a break-even and potentially profit-making entity, while preserving its unique historical and cultural heritage. It is already public knowledge that the compound’s facilities are available for controlled use at affordable cost.
The sight of families and children enjoying the swimming pool, the benabs, the swings and rides, the cricket and lawn tennis facilities, the club etc; as well as the beautiful, restful, relaxing ambience are all joys to behold.
Additionally, the many vacant staff houses are also available for rental, instead of being left to idly rot.
It is also public knowledge that efforts are underway to preserve the old factory, sugar-transport railway, cane-growing infrastructures, and natural bird-watching potential etc.
As an interesting aside, I cannot help adding the fact that I personally get goose pimples recalling my boyhood days at Blairmont Estate, where I grew up in an overcrowded, flea-and-mosquito-infested, ground-floored logie which was contiguous to the manicured lush-green lawns of the exclusive expatriate Senior Staff Compound.
Contrast that scene with the fortuitous occurrence years afterwards, when I won a Bookers cadetship which led to my moving into the relative palatial senior staff house named “Ituni House”, standing virtually on the spot where the logie in which I grew up had been located. Ironically, the previous occupant of “Ituni House” was Mr E. B. John, who himself was a Bookers Cadet, and whom I succeeded after he graciously mentored me as a cadet and younger Personnel Management professional in the heady days of Guyanization of the sugar industry. We have certainly come a long way!
Sincerely,
Nowrang Persaud
