Circular No 283

Newsletter for past alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.

Caracas, 4 April 2007. No. 283
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Some newcomers to the Circulars. Welcome.
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From: amilitar
Sent: Tuesday, February 6, 2007 4:45 PM
To: "'Enrique Zanelli'"

Kiko,

como te contaba, de pura casualidad navegando por internet encontre un website (www.abbeyschool2007.blogspot.com) donde aparece un blog con varias circulares y cartas de ex alumnos (past alumni) del abbey school en trinidad, y me trajo muchos recuerdos, ya que nosotros estuvimos en ese colegio cuando eramos ninos.

Aparecen fotos del father Bernard (bobo), father Cuthbert (cutty) y de otros personajes, incluso encontre una carta que te adjunto en que aparece tu nombre cuando eras integrante de los aqualads (el equipo de natacion).

El mail tambien lo mando con copia a ladislao kertesz quien es el que mantiene el sitio y el blog, para ver si encontramos mis fotos de los anos 67 al 71.

Capaz que me encuentre con mi companero de curso jimmy samaroo que nadaba conmigo y de otros mas.

As it told you, by pure chance browsing thru Internet I found website www.abbeyschool2007.blogspot.com where there is blog with several circular and letters of ex-students (past alumni) of the abbey school in Trinidad, and it brought many memories to me, since we were in that school when we were young.

There are photos of father Bernard (Bobo), to father Cuthbert (Cutty) and of other personages. I even found a letter that I enclose to you in which it appears your name when you belonged to the Aqualads (the swimming team).

This mail I am also copying to Ladislao Kertesz who is the one that maintains the site and blog, to see if we can find more photos of years 67 to the 71.

Maybe I am able to find my companion of course Jimmy Samaroo who swam with me and of others.

I was proud to wear the red t-shirt of Saint Anthony.

If I’m right, you wore the green of Saint Lawrence

Te adjunto una foto del colegio y una de father Bernard

Captain (N) Victor A. Zanelli Suffo
Military and Naval Attache
Embassy of Chile
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From: Art & Val Knaggs
Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 12:44 AM
To: wmtstone@shaw.ca
Subject: Latest News

Thanks for the news, and especially on Earl. Our prayer meet was cancelled this evening because of a snow storm, but our prayers will be with him and the rest of you, as you have certainly had a very hectic Year out there.

Best regards to all of you on the West.

Have you got Ian's e-mail, his greeting from us returned undelivered.

Tell Earl to keep a good heart, open mind, and lots of prayers, the last Mount Bulletin had a Photo in it of (I believe 1945) of our group of Mounties, if he has not seen it I will forward that Bulletin to him.

As always,

Art & Val
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From: WILLIAM STONE <wmtstone@shaw.ca>
Date: Fri, 09 Feb 2007 11:13:52 -0500
HELLO ART & Val,

Thank you for the very informotive email. Its always nice to hear from you all. At present we are visiting Gordon and Marylyn Lazzari on our way to Trini. We expect to arrive on the 10th of this month and get back home on the 1st of April. We will be staying with Malcolm and Louie Ann.

This is our first holiday in 2years.

The weather on the West Coast this Winter has been the worst in 50 years. Stanley park which is considered the Jewel of Vancouver was totally destroyed. Over 3,000 trees were fallen with winds exceeding 100 miles per hour. Any way, where we live in Langley was not damaged.

Well its bye for now keep well and keep healthy. Oh, a little news about Earle Kayne. Earle just had a full Knee replacement after having a Hip replacement however he is doing great.

Kindest Personal Regards

Willie & Emmeline
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From: Art & Val Knaggs <av_knaggs@hotmail.com>
Date: Thursday, February 8, 2007 2:19 pm

Dearest

Not too sure if we got 'tied up' or we were 'tied down', but whichever, we got your lovely Christmas Greetings and never sent ours out before.

Yet we love you (both/all), and hope you still love us back, even with our human weaknesses.

We have had a bit of a 'Roller Coaster' finale to our 2006 Year, with a conglomeration of ups and downs; yet, being optimistic and positive minded, we fed our Good Wolf focusing on the High-Lights of the last three months, hoping that when we plunged into the deep valleys of our Challenges, it was merely to boost the downward speed for the upward climb to better things; and the Good Lord kept smiling upon us.

So without all the gory (or bory) details, we have ploughed into (sometimes out of) these few Winter months with "mucho gusto".

Now we are settling down to our very abnormal, normal daily and weekly routines; and are able to wish you and yours a venturesome, happy and productive 2007, with a hearty sprinkling of love, joy and fun.

Fun is Val's #1 N.Y's resolution.

Now, as we saunter into the marvel and wonder of this New Year, we are endeavouring to keep our values and goals high; our meaningful challenges low and manageable; walk quietly, hand in hand and with Our Higher Power; stay connected with our family and friends in our ripple effect; and reach out to and touch all those who cross our paths, in this never ending journey through life.

What fabulous and exciting motivators and objectives to look forward to, as we enter each day ahead.

It is in giving that we receive.

All the very best to you, and yours, and we hope to see you (both/all) sometime along our winding road of life.

As ever, with love, Val & Art
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From: Urbano von Fedak
Sent: Friday, February 23, 2007 3:24 PM
Subject: Football

Ladislao !

Cleaning up my desk is the attachment I found.

You will now understand why we graduates of 1958 are so proud of our 5, 6 or 7 years at Mount.

Believe it or not we still stick together.

Regards

Urbano
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This is for those who played cricket and those that remember some of the “SIRS” that are mentioned and played in the MSB team when Bro. Vincent used his persuasive charm.
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Saltprune - Opinion and views from Trinidad and Tobago

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http://caribbeancricket.com/news/2007/04/13/2378

WI cricket - leadership without credibility
Fri, Apr 13, '07
By SHAM SAMAROO

The music of "Force Ripe," the number one sound system in Guyana, could not soothe the pain of another hopeless, uninspiring, spiritless, and shamefully disappointing performance by the West Indies against Sri Lanka.

With the loss to South Africa last Tuesday, their fourth consecutive of the Super Eight, West Indies have all but been eliminated from the semifinals.

So what is this malaise that seems to paralyze West Indies cricket?

Mind you, this is not about West Indies losing, but rather the manner in which they have played time and again.

Let's face it; there are teams in this tournament that are no more talented than the West Indians yet have demonstrated a collective resolve and a self belief that are so often missing from the West Indies game.

Commitment and a sense of purpose is a first step in any attempt to turn around the fortunes of a team.

So how does one achieve this?

The Chinese sage, Confucius, tells us that as the wind blows so the grass bends, or, as we are wont to say in the Caribbean, a fish rots from the head.

There is a crisis in the leadership of West Indies cricket in the persons of Ken Gordon and Brian Lara.

Effective leadership is all about credibility.

Commitment cannot be mandated, only inspired, and one cannot inspire a collective resolve without the moral authority to lead.

Successful leaders attend to a broader moral purpose.

At its core, moral purpose is about relationships among people, and moral purpose comes alive through leadership actions that inspire, motivate, and energize people. Repeated calls from Captain Lara for players to lift their game continue to echo with a hollow resonance because Lara lacks the moral authority to lead.

Talk of Lara's knowledge, talent, and experience simply misses the point.

No one is questioning Lara's ability but, rather, the lack of credibility.

This is Lara's third unsuccessful stint as captain, and Lara has stated that he intends to play test cricket beyond the age of 40.

When asked at the press conference in Guyana whether that meant that he intended to stay on as Captain, Lara was visibly irritated and declined to answer the question.

If Lara truly cares about the future of West Indies cricket, and there is no reason to believe that he does not, then he would step down.

Off the field, the Gordon-led WICB was supposed to bring greater transparency to the regional game.

Instead, allegations of disingenuousness, unilateral decision-making and premature announcements all point to a flagrant abuse of the office of the presidency.

One of the shortcomings of the WICB over the years was its abject failure to recognize and to honour our past heroes.

The opening ceremony of the World Cup provided the Gordon team with a once in a life-time opportunity to right this egregious wrong - a window of opportunity to showcase the rich and glorious legacy of West Indies cricket to the eyes of the world. Surely 15 minutes of an almost three hour ceremony could have been dedicated to the proud legacy of West Indies cricket - a legacy mind you - that was instrumental in the conferring of this privilege to host the Cup.

In 2003, I had the distinct honour to interview Sir Everton Weekes in New York, and he shared with me a cherished hope that he would be alive in 2007 to witness this monumental event. It is to the Board's collective shame that this colossal icon of West Indies cricket was not even afforded the recognition of an invitation.

What a testimony to the proud history of West Indies cricket would it have been to introduce Sir Everton Weekes, Sir Vivian Richards, and Sir Garfield Sobers; and, perhaps, acknowledge the late Sir Learie Constantine, Sir Frank Worrell, and Sir Clyde Walcott - all of whom have achieved the highest accolade the game can bestow? Every player that evening, from Muralitharan to Ponting, wishes for one game in their careers when they may be likened to Sir Gary Sobers - the greatest player ever to grace the game.

It is, therefore, frighteningly ironic that these disorganizers could have only spared the great man one sentence - something about declaring the World Cup open.

Perhaps, they were too preoccupied with surrendering broadcast rights, and agreeing to ridiculous stadium rules and outrageous ticket prices that saw most games being played with half-full stadiums bereft of that carnival atmosphere that has become so much a part of West Indies cricket.

Of course, expect Ken Gordon and his apologists to try defending this indecency.

In fact, Gordon has already begun.
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By the way, what ever happened to P.G.Wilson? There are no articles in the internet, neither there is a mention of his career thru TV. Ed
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To finish this Circular I have included photos taken by Roberto Bodington, some without the necessary names.

Please send in your comments so that I may place names to the faces, please use the code that I have attached to each photo.

God Bless

Ladislao
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03LK0001UVF, Urbano
58UF0001FB, The dream team that was mentioned above.
58AK0001AKNFAM, Arthur Knaggs and Family, (the only photo that I have, Art. You should send me a new one. Ed.)
04UN0001VZA, Victor Zanelli
2004 Transporte Aquiles de la Armada Chilena.

ATTACHMENT

Transporte “Aquiles” colabora con comunidad isleña

Tanto los Oficiales como el Personal de Gente de Mar han efectuado diversas tareas en beneficio de los habitantes de Rapa Nui.
15/03/2004

Valparaíso. Departamento de Relaciones Públicas de la Primera Zona Naval. Cumpliendo con lo planificado el pasado jueves 11 de marzo llegó a Isla de Pascua el Transporte “Aquiles” de la Armada de Chile. A su arribo la unidad, dependiente del Comando Anfibio y Transportes Navales, inició un nutrido programa de actividades en apoyo de los habitantes de Hanga Roa.

El buque al mando del Capitán de Fragata, Víctor Zanelli Suffo tuvo una bienvenida colmada del espíritu pascuense recibiendo collares de flores, que expresan el ferviente deseo de: bienvenida a Rapa Nui y que la estadía de los visitantes sea plena de satisfacciones. La dotación del buque fue recibida por el Comandante de la Estación Naval y Gobernador Marítimo de Hanga Roa, Capitán de Fragata Patricio Kocking Bannen.

También se cumplió la tradición que data desde 1888, cuando sólo llegaban a Pascua buques a vela. Así, algunos miembros de la dotación recibieron especiales felicitaciones: el Comandante del Buque, por disponer que su navío visite la Isla; el Segundo Comandante, por haber mantenido la disciplina a bordo que permitió un feliz arribo y al Oficial Piloto (Navegante) junto al Contramaestre de la nave, por la pericia marinera desplegada para conducir acertadamente el rumbo de la nave hacia tan pequeña y remota ínsula ubicada en la inmensidad del Océano Pacífico. También hubo, como lo establece la costumbre, la presentación de un “Hoko”, ancestral danza teatral Rapa Nui efectuada por isleños.

El sueño se hace realidad

El “Aquiles” descargó en Hanga Roa cerca de 250 toneladas de materiales de construcción. Lo anterior, dispuesto por la superioridad naval y accediendo a una solicitud planteada por la Intendencia de la Quinta Región, destinada a satisfacer un antiguo anhelo de transportar hacia la Isla, materiales de construcción para concluir definitivamente la edificación de la “Aldea Educativa”. Este proyecto, a cargo de la Ilustre Municipalidad de Isla de Pascua, irá en directo beneficio de la totalidad de los niños que cursan estudios básicos y medios, ya que consistirá en una flamante construcción que servirá como anexo al único Liceo con que se cuenta actualmente y albergará a los alumnos que cursen desde Octavo Básico a Cuarto Medio.

Además, se está efectuando un importante apoyo Médico - Dental por parte del Personal Naval a bordo del “Aquiles”, en favor de mujeres de escasos recursos que viven en la Isla de Pascua y que han sido beneficiadas con el Programa “Sonrisa De Mujer”, dirigido por la Primera Dama, Doña Luisa Durán de Lagos. En este operativo más de 40 mujeres serán favorecidas con la implantación de prótesis que fueron enviadas desde el continente por vía aérea, especialmente, para tal efecto.

Otra tarea relevante ha sido la mantención a la totalidad de las balizas luminosas que se encuentran instaladas en la Isla, por parte de Personal Especialista en Faros, dependiente de la Gobernación Marítima de Valparaíso. Estos artefactos tienen la importante función de dar seguridad a la navegación y a la vida humana en el mar para la gran cantidad de pascuenses que se dedican a la actividad de la pesca artesanal en Rapa Nui.

Por otro lado, el peluquero del Transporte “Aquiles”, Cabo 1° Eduardo Vicencio Molti realizó corte de pelo gratuito a más de 50 niños del único Liceo con que cuenta la Isla de Pascua. En la ocasión, el Director del Establecimiento Educacional Luis Astete Muñoz agradeció tan importante apoyo de la Armada, dado que un corte de pelo en la Isla cuesta alrededor de $5.000.

Día Internacional de la Mujer

En un ambiente de grata convivencia, cerca de un centenar de señoras y señoritas de diferentes Instituciones y Agrupaciones de Isla de Pascua, tuvieron la oportunidad de ser atendidas y compartir alegremente con funcionarios de la Armada con motivo de la celebración del Día Internacional de la Mujer.

El AP. “Aquiles” permaneció en Hanga Roa hasta el 17 de marzo, día en que zarpó rumbo a Valparaíso, llegando a su Puerto Base el lunes 23.