buxton-friendship express

Scores of Buxtonians were among the thousands of

Guyanese who returned home for our country’s Golden

Jubilee celebration. In Buxton, the occasion was also

used to observe the Purchase of Friendship 175 years ago

and the establishment of the Buxton-Friendship commu-

nity.

The activities in the village commenced with a com-

memorative service and programme at St. Augustine An-

glican Church followed by a sumptuous brunch on the

church lawn. Other activities included a sightseeing tour

of Linden town and a lovely ball at Tipperary Hall.

These events were sponsored by Buxton-Friendship Her-

itage Fund and they attracted great participation.

Buxton Friendship Heritage Fund would like to take

this opportunity to express

sincere gratitude to everyone

who supported its efforts and

events to mark these historic

achievements of our country

and community.

The committee wishes to

thank Reverend Raymond

Coxall and the vestry

members of St. Au-

gust ine’s Angl ican

Church for facilitating

the commencement

programme. We owe a

debt of gratitude to

Mrs. Paulette Charles

and Miss Oleta Williams

for their enthusiastic

work and assistance in

organizing this event.

GREAT JUBILATION

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

Two Buxtonians Listed

for National Awards 2

Recent Donors 3

Haynes Cite: Jubilee

Memento 4

Wha de Story Seh:

Edmund F Fredericks 6

Ogle Airport Renamed

After Buxtonian 8

US Mayor of Buxtonian

Heritage Re-elected 10

Condolences

General Information

11

12

P u b l i s h e d b y B u x t o n - F r i e n d s h i p H e r i t a g e F u n d , I n c .

Buxton-Friendship Express

BFE16-5

MAY 2016

Buxton Jubilee Ball at Tipperary Hall, May 28, 2016

It would be remiss of us to not mention Buxton

Steel Orchestra, the splendid service given by the

volunteers from across the community, the dona-

tions of delicious mauby by Mrs. Charles and scram-

bled eggs by Mrs. Vashti Cockfield, and food prepa-

ration by Mrs. Morselle Harper. Thanks for your

contributions to a wonderful and satisfying brunch.

We extend a special note of thanks to Mr. Aubrey

Stephenson, CEO of FMS; Mr. Osric Best, Ms.

Mauva Barnes and the rest of the dynamic staff at

Aubrey’s Café for the generous donation of scrump-

tious pastries, cakes and bread. They were delicious

and your contribution was greatly appreciated.

Thanks to Collis Nicholson, Tricia Shortt, Yolanda

Stoby, Kodzo and Kenita Wilkinson, Ingrid Ifill-King,

Brenda Ifill, Noel Vieira and Shawn for being so

helpful with the decorating of Tipperary Hall for the

ball. You helped to do a fantastic job.

A big thank you to Ingrid Ifill-King of COTAB for

her contribution and hard work in bringing these

events off. Your assistance proved to be invaluable

to the successful outcome. Gracias!

Two Buxtonians, Bishop Glenna Spencer and

Mrs. Joycelyn Wilson are among eighty-four

persons listed to receive Guyana’s national

awards this year. The announcement was

made at the historic flag raising ceremony at

Durban Park to usher in our country’s 50th In-

dependence Anniversary on 26th May, 2016.

Both women will be conferred with the

Golden Arrow of Achievement (A.A.). It is the

fourth highest award in the Order of Service

of Guyana.

Joycelyn Cleo Patricia Wilson

Bishop Spencer, President of the Guyana Dis-

trict of the Methodist Church in the Caribbean

and the Americas, is being honoured for “her

long, dedicated and outstanding service in the

field of religion”.

Mrs. Joycelyn Wilson, neé Thomas, is being

recognized for “service of an exceptionally high

quality in the Guyana National Service and in

the field of banking.”

Buxton-Friendship Express joins with the na-

tion in congratulating our two village sisters on

their notable achievements.

2016 NATIONAL AWARDS TWO BUXTONIANS AMONG AWARDEES

P a g e 2

THE GOLDEN ARROW OF ACHIEVEMENT (A.A.)

is the fourth highest award

in the Order of Service of Guyana

B u x t o n - F r i e n d s h i p E x p re s s

Bishop Glenna Leris Denise Spencer

DONATIONS

P a g e 3 M a y 2 0 1 6

We wish to express our heartfelt thanks to the following persons for their donations this month. Please

know that we greatly appreciate your generosity and continued support of our work for needy causes in

Buxton.

MARGARET ABRAMS (“GIRLIE”)

JOAN EMANUEL

PHILIP & JENNY MCPHERSON

GRISELDA SMITH

DAPHNE THOMAS (MAY PAUL)

ANONYMOUS (2)

Buxton-Friendship Heritage Fund, Inc. is an IRS-registered charitable organization under the 501(c)3 in-

come tax code. Donations made to Buxton-Friendship Heritage Fund, Inc. are deductible to the fullest ex-

tent of the law.

To make a donation, please make your cheque payable to Buxton-Friendship Heritage Fund, Inc., and

send it to the organization at 454 Vermont Street, Brooklyn, NY 11207, USA.

Whenever the media reports on the culmination of a developmental or historical project the focus has always been

on the 'big boys.' At the commissioning/initiation of these projects the spotlight is placed on the political directorate,

the financiers, International/diplomatic support and the like. Reporters seldom report on the activities or the people

that make the event a reality. Whether this will ever change is a matter of conjecture.

On the morning of May 20, 2016 the Golden Jubilee of Independence Arch was unveiled by President David Arthur

Granger, MSS. The memento, located at the southern entrance/exit of the Capital City, Georgetown, was presented

to the Nation by our beverage giant, BANKS DIH, Limited to commemorate the fiftieth year of our political independ-

ence. The formal ceremony was attended by several government minsters; Chairman, Directors and senior staff of

Banks DIH; senior staff of the Ministries of Public Infrastructure and Education and members of the Diplomatic

Corps. The ceremony lasted for approximately two hours amidst persistent light showers of blessings.

(Continued on page 5)

Haynes Cite ~ b y A n t h o n y H a y n e s

G O L D E N J U B I L E E O F I N D E P E N D E N C E M E M E N T O :

F L I P S I D E

P a g e 4

“Fifty years on, another son of Buxton/Friendship would have played a major

role in the establishment of an Independence Arch.”


The 50th

Independence Anniversary Arch at the junction of Eccles and Agricola on the East Bank of Deme-rara. The Arch delineates the southern entrance into and exit out of Georgetown and was unveiled by Presi-dent David Granger on May 20, 2016. It was funded by Banks DIH. (Ministry of the Presidency photo)

The site prior to construction

GOLDEN JUBILEE INDEPENDENCE MEMENTO

P a g e 5 M a y 2 0 1 6

Rewind to Thursday, March 31, 2016 - several construction

firms were invited to a site visit by the Ministry of Public In-

frastructure to observe the site conditions prior to providing

their bid to construct the foundation for the proposed arch

by 09:00hrs on April 4, 2016. By the end of the following

fortnight, a contractor was selected and ordered to mobilise

for commencement of the works. The construction firm se-

lected was ERROL CUSH CONSTRUCTION SERVICES (ECCS)

of Lot 3, Quamina Road, Beterverwagting, East Coast, Deme-

rara whose bid offer was approximately $6.9 million Guyana

dollars.

After careful examination of the original foundation design

and scope of works by the Contractor's Project Engineer, it

was found that both the design and the scope of works

needed modification. The responsibility for the modifications

was given to yours truly, who was eventually responsible for

the construction of the footing, environmental upgrade of the

site and installation of the arch. The works commenced with

the clearing of the site and preparation of the piles. The de-

sign required three fifty-foot piles to be installed in each of

the two footings. The pile cluster had to be capped with

three feet thick reinforced concrete followed by the construc-

tion of two layers of reinforced concrete plinths. The last

layer of plinths was tripled to accommodate the base of the

pre-fabricated, hollow, galvanised coated, iron pipe arch.

The major challenge of the project was to construct the two

footings such that the twenty-four bolts to be located on the

six upper plinths would be in a precise position relative to

distance apart, level and alignment. That exploit had to be

achieved prior to the supply of the arch while daily traversing

the busiest carriageway in Region #4; the test was passed

with 'flying colours' according to a senior government offi-

cial .

The installation of the arch by ECCS was also an addition to

the original scope of works. The main frame of the arch was

constructed and supplied in four parts while the crown and

billboard were supplied in three pieces. Two opaque panels

of the crown were successfully changed to transparent ones

to allow visibility of the anniversary motif in the evenings

when the lights, supplied and installed by Banks DIH Limited,

on the inside of the crown, 'kick-in.' The sponsor of the edi-

fice also tiled and provided the plaque on the upper plinths.

Fifty years on, another son of Buxton/Friendship would

have played a major role in the establishment of an Inde-

pendence Arch.

“Han wash han meck han kum kleen!”

HAPPY GOLDEN JUBILEE OF INDEPENDENCE TO ALL OF YOU!!! Until the next time, to God be the Glory.

(Continued from page 4)

Reinforcement to pile cap and plinths

Section of arch being installed

Dear Buxtonians,

We have been charged to “remember Fredericks,”

as an imperative (MUST), but how much do we actu-

ally know about him. What did he look like? I have

been researching and writing a journal in prose po-

etry to remember. I ask, “How do I/we imagine him;

(re) construct him; on whose authority and perspec-

tives. “How do I allow my fellow Buxtonians (who

choose to) to enter this journey with me?” I use a

cultural rhetorics approach in which I mix archival

data with village knowledge and oral history to

broaden the avenues by which I come to know him.

Disclaimer: I am not a historian. That said, as I learn

more about Fredericks, I will keep you posted. I ask

that Mattie tell mattie and frien’ tell frien’ so we can

make him live again.

WHAT CHILD

Born March 9, 1875.

In the African purchased village of Buxton

To his father Louis Fredericks

And his Mother Charlotte Fredericks

And an older brother

He was named Edwin Fitzgerald Fredericks

A Buxtonian with such a reverential name

Must have another name--

Sure, they called him Edwin,

But what was his false name?

What Boyhood

Edwin the boy,

Like many children in Buxton Village,

Did housework and school work

And attended Sunday school

Before and after school

He looked after the livestock

Perhaps he fed the pigs and goats,

Chickens and guinea birds

Took the cows and sheep to the pasture and back

Perhaps he looked after the kitchen garden too--

Then, too, perhaps every week

He went to the back dam with his parents

To plant and reap crops--

Bora and ochroes,

Calaloo and cassava

Coconuts and Guava,

And Long Mango, Hide-a-grass Mango and Bux-

ton spice

Perhaps he lit up the fireside for cooking

And studied by flambeau lamp

Did he drink company water

And qualify as a bonafide Buxtonian?

Did he make bush cook with his friends?

Maybe he play his favorite sport with them.

They say he liked to play cricket

But like me, did he use coconut balls and home-

made bats?

And play in the empty land in the neighborhood,

And stopped playing when six-o-clock bee started

buzzing?

(Continued on page 7)

Wha de Story Seh: E.F. FREDERICKS

P a g e 6 B u x t o n - F r i e n d s h i p E x p re s s

by Pauline Baird

The drawing for the Cash Raffle, sponsored by Buxton-Friendship Heritage Fund,

Inc., will take place on Saturday, June 25, 2016, about 9:00 p.m., during the Sum-

mer Soiree. Please remember to mail back your completed stubs with cheque,

payable to Buxton-Friendship Heritage Fund, Inc., by June 15 to ensure we receive

your entries timely.

To save time completing the stubs, you may use pre-printed adhesive address

labels, but do remember to add your telephone number and e-mail address. Mail

them to Buxton-Friendship Heritage Fund, Inc., 454 Vermont Street, Brooklyn, NY

11207.

W h a d e S t o r y S e h : REMEMBER FREDERICKS

Raffle Drawing: June 25, 2016

P a g e 7 M a y 2 0 1 6

What home

The other day,

I asked Kwayana, who is ninety-one years old,

“Where did Fredericks grow up?”

He says that the Fredericks family’s home was

Just over Buxton line top

Now called the Railway Embankment

Somewhere between Buxton Middle Street and

Buxton Sideline Dam

Near the houses of Joe Williams and Nurse Baird

Where I grew up!

What Man

40 years old

5 feet 8 inches

Dark skin

Black eyes

Black hair

Immigrant alien

Nationality “British”

City/Town “Buxton”

In American – North Carolina he is

“Every inch a Britisher,”

A “Full-blooded negro”

“Our trusted delegate”

He called himself “Fitz”

To be continued~


~Ministry of the Presidency, Georgetown, Guyana – (May 9, 2016)

The Ogle International Airport was officially renamed the

Eugene F. Correia International Airport as a

tribute to the sterling contribution of a man, who pioneered

the development of the aviation sector and Guyana’s gold

and diamond industry. The late Eugene Francis Correia was

also a parliamentarian and Minister of Government, who

was born in Buxton on August 21, 1899 and died in 1973

at the age of 74. (Continued on page 9)

President David Granger handing over a congratulatory parchment signed by the Village Council of Buxton-Friendship in 1965, which details Eugene Correia's achievements

OGLE AIRPORT RENAMED AFTER BUXTONIAN EUGENE F. CORREIA

P a g e 8

“What a life, what a career,

what a Guyanese! It was with

confidence, therefore, that last

September, I suggested to the

Board of Directors of the

Ogle International Airport,

Incorporated that this airport

be renamed the Eugene F.

Correia International Airport,”

President David Granger


As a visionary, Correia, after he became a member

of the Legislative Council in 1956, spoke in favour of

the then Hydro-Electric Power Bill and predicted that

water power would play a major role in developing

Guyana. President Granger said that 60 years later

that vision and his conviction at the time still ring

true.

He also played a significant role in the struggle for

Independence. President Granger told the gathering

that Correia was a member of the delegation to the

Constitutional Conferences held in the United King-

dom in 1962 and 1963 which led to the change of

Guyana’s electoral system to that of Proportional

Representation in 1964 and, eventually, Independ-

ence in 1966.

“What a life, what a career, what a Guyanese! It was

with confidence, therefore, that last September, I

suggested to the Board of Directors of the Ogle Inter-

national Airport Incorporated that this airport be re-

named the Eugene F. Correia International Airport,”

President Granger said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Public

Infrastructure, David Patterson

under whose responsibility the

aviation sector falls, described

Correia as a son of the soil, of

whose record all Guyanese

should be proud. He recognised

that over the past few weeks

there has been some amount of

tension regarding the name

change and said that while

there are merits in the positions

put forward by all sides, there is

more to the matter than busi-

ness and politics.

E.F. CORREIA AIRPORT

P a g e 9 M a y 2 0 1 6

Speaking at a ceremony at the airport to mark the

occasion, President Granger described Correia as

insightful and as a visionary and a nationalist, who

was a strong advocate of a strong domestic air

transport system. A pilot, Correia in 1957 opposed

an agreement entered into by the British Guiana Gov-

ernment and the British West Indian Airways (BWIA)

for the latter to manage and advise the domestic avi-

ation sector. President Granger quoted Correia as

saying to the Legislative Council that, “we have al-

ready developed a good domestic service in BG and

my opinion is that we should keep it and run it our-

selves.”

Correia was appointed Minister of Communications

with responsibility for the aviation sector in Decem-

ber, 1964, a post he held until October 1968. He

also served as Minister of Works and Hydraulics.

In other aspects of his public life, the late Correia

championed the right of Guyanese to be appointed

to executive positions in the public service in the

then British Guiana.

“This was a time when it was usual for foreigners,

particularly, Englishmen to hold the highest offices in

the public service. Correia, in an address to in the

Legislative Council on November 9, 1956, argued

that if Guyanese are capable of filling a vacancy in

the public sector then they should be allowed to fill

those vacancies,” the President said.


The late Correia championed the right of Guyanese to be appointed to executive po-sitions in the public service in the then Brit-ish Guiana. “This was a time when it was usual for for-

eigners, particularly, Englishmen to hold

the highest offices in the public service…”

With a resounding victory, the town of Purcellville

in Virginia, USA this month re-elected its Guyana-

born mayor, Kwasi Fraser to a second two-year

term. The son of a Buxtonian mother, Monica Fraser

(Mammie Philander) and Victorian father, Clyde Fitz

Fraser, Kwasi is also the town’s first Black mayor.

According to a report in the local newspaper,

Loudoun Now, Fraser trounced his challenger—

longtime Councilwoman Joan Lehr—leading a sweep

of new faces on to the Town Council. “I think it’s a

clear mandate. The people have spoken,” Fraser said

after the victory. “This is a council we can work

with. We’ve put four people in place, and we all

have the same vision, which is to listen to the voice

of the people,” he added.

Having resided in Purcellville since 2006, Kwasi Fra-

ser, his wife, Angela, and their three children settled

in Purcellville because they like its balance of old and

new, its small town warmth, and consider it a great

place to raise their family. During the past few years,

Fraser has actively engaged in community service in-

cluding youth sports and school activities.

Fraser’s distinguished corporate career includes sig-

nificant bottom line contributions at AT&T, Sprint

Nextel, Marriott International, and Verizon. In his

current position and as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt,

he provides leadership in operational efficiency, reve-

nue growth, and sustainability.

In addition to his corporate experience and strong

work ethic, Fraser possesses an MBA in Finance from

Rutgers University, an Executive Education certificate

from Harvard Business School, a Bachelor of Engi-

neering degree from Stony Brook University, and a

Project Management Professional (PMP) certificate

from the Project Management Institute.

As Mayor of Purcellville, Kwasi Fraser, along with

his fellow town council members, is actively working

to place the needs of Purcellville's citizens first to pre-

serve their quality of life and also to create lasting

value for the town.

The inauguration ceremony for Kwasi Fraser’s

second term is set to take place on June 27,

2016. Among those in attendance will be his

proud parents.

Buxton-Friendship Express extends congratula-

tions and best wishes for another successful

term to Mayor Kwasi Fraser.

KWASI FRASER RE-ELECTED MAYOR OF PURCELLVILLE IN VIRGINIA, USA

P a g e 1 0 B u x t o n - F r i e n d s h i p E x p re s s

Kwasi Fraser Mayor of Purcellville

SINCERE SYMPATHY

P a g e 1 1 M a y 2 0 1 6

We join with the bereaved families in mourning the loss of the following villagers in the month of May,

2016:

LEYLAND SIMON; 6 May, 2016; Guyana

SHEILA KING, formerly of Cummings Street, Buxton. She passed away on May 12, 2016 in Brooklyn,

NY

YVONNE SAMPSON-GULLIVER, of Vigilance. She departed on May 14, 2016, Guyana

MICHAEL BUTTS (MIKEY). He died on 19 May, 2016 at a Georgetown hospital.

DAVID CHARLES (TALKIE), of Cummings Street, Buxton

JOSEPH DOUGLAS (JOE), in Baltimore, MD. A former resident of Buxton, he was the husband of Jen-

nifer Douglas, neé Connell

Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.

May their souls rest in peace!

P U B L I S H E D B Y

B U X T O N - F R I E N D S H I P H E R I T A G E F U N D , I N C .

BUXTON: Guyana’s Premier Village

It’s Time Again for BESAC, Inc.

(Buxtonians for the Educational And Social Advancement of the Community, Inc.)

Fundraiser

Saturday, July 9, 2016 from 6:00 p.m. 123-11 150th Avenue, South Ozone Park, NY 11420

(between 123rd & 124th Streets) Fried Fish Barbeque Chicken Codfish Cakes Souse Phulouri Spinach Rice Rice & Peas Roti & Curry White/Black Pudding Pastries Mauby Sorrell Homemade & More

For More Info: Errol Cockfield: 718-843-3690

John Massay: 347-228-6939

Monica Sandiford: 718-284-0911

Wilbert Hope: 718-235-0718

Buxton-Friendship Express May 2016

Mailing Address 454 Vermont Street Brooklyn, NY 11207

E-Mail Address [email protected]

Contributing Writers Lorna Campbell Pauline Baird Anthony Haynes

Editors Dr. Clayton Bacchus Lorna Campbell

Buxton-Friendship Heritage Fund, Inc.

RAFFLE FOR EDUCATION

Drawing at Summer Soiree

SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 2014 454 Vermont Street, Brooklyn, NY 11207

Book (3 tickets): $5 / Single Ticket: $2

Participants must be at least 18 years of age Ticketholder need not be present at drawing to win

PHONE: 718-342-0040 E-MAIL: [email protected]

$1,000.00 CASH PRIZES

1st Prize: $500.00

2nd Prize: $250.00

3rd Prize: $125.00

4th Prize: $ 75.00

5th Prize: $50.00

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