Circular No 828

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

Caracas, 16 of September 2017 No. 828

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Dear Friends,

We are having difficulties with the internet server, the government is having hiccups in the service.

You can imagine that all monetary transfers are limited by this and since we do not have cash because of the lack of banknotes, it is sometimes difficult to pay the house service.

Now a word or two on food shortage. Thank you to those that have helped in the past, but we need future donations from the kind souls.  The best  way is through Miami Florida, through special delivery, door to door. These services are a routine for the forwarder, we have an economical provider.

The shortage is in grains, cooking oil, vitamins and protein supplements like special energy food powder or nuts. , (we are getting to be in that age),

Here is a report on what was the fastest pool in Trinidad.

http://www.cnc3.co.tt/sports/sport-insight-abby-swimming-pool

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REPORT ON IRMA FROM DON

Kazim Abseil <empowerwithart@gmail.com>

Sep 4 at 11:17 AM

Keep safe and well my friend.

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Don Mitchell <idmitch@anguillanet.com>

Sep 4 at 10:50 AM

I may be out of contact for a few days after Tuesday. 

Below is the latest update from my weather service.

We are not in any personal danger. 

Our house is built like Fort Knox, pure reinforced concrete roofs, walls and floors. 

But, at our age, who needs the stress of putting up hurricane shutters?

Don

UPDATE MONDAY 10 AM

OK – this is now getting REALLY scary – as in life-threatening.  Below just sent out by Crown Weather Service:

“I Cannot Stress Enough The Urgency Of Being Prepared For Major Hurricane Irma For Those Of You On The Islands Of Barbuda, St. Martin, St. Maarten, Anguilla & The British Virgin Islands – The core of at least a Category 4 hurricane is forecast to move right over you late Tuesday night and Wednesday. This is likely to be as a bad as or much worse than Hurricane Luis from 1995. Please take this hurricane very seriously and prepare now for a major hurricane impact from Tuesday night through Wednesday.”

Get ready NOW!

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Kazim Abseil <empowerwithart@gmail.com>

Sep 13 at 2:54 PM

Don,

Thank you for the update.

Thank God that Maggie and you are okay.

Our hope is that the rebuilding process by Government and agencies are swift and you enjoy some level of normalcy as quick as can be.

The stark reality as you shared, is that there is a great deal of damage and there are lots of factors to get things up to speed again. Just know that we are with you in spirit.

Take care my friend. 

Kaz

P. S. What about the 'pets' in the yard? Were they secured away safely?

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On Wed, Sep 13, 2017 at 8:02 PM, 

amickiew@att.net <amickiew@att.net> wrote:

Hey Don,

Admire your positive attitude amidst the destruction and destitution that you have described. 

It appears that it will take a long time to restore those utilities that we need and take for granted in our daily lives.

Would it help you if we can ship a generator or two after the transportation services have been restored. 

How is your food situation?.....

Do you have access to the medicines that you may need? 

Just trying to think about how we might be able to help you for those needs that are currently unavailable there....sorry if I am over-reaching.

Hang in there,

George

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On Wednesday, September 13, 2017 12:13 PM,

Don Mitchell <idmitch@anguillanet.com> wrote:

Hi, Glen,

Good to hear from you.

A few minutes ago, I conned my way into the C&W main office, and am logged on to one of their internet access points so I can get my email down on my computer and do my updates of my anti-virus software, etc.  We have been relying up to now on Maggie’s Korean schoolgirl’s hand-held toy to get onto the internet.  You can’t do much with that but read newspapers and send short messages.

Our house has only minor water damage from Hurricane Irma on 6 September.  On the other hand, our guest shack has had a small nuclear bomb go off in it.  It will take a lot of work (and money) to make it habitable, so don’t plan a holiday trip to us this year.  The yard is totally devastated, as in sent back to the stone age.

While every private home suffered from minor to major damage, the worst damage in Anguilla is to the public infrastructure.  All the public schools, the police stations, the immigration and customs offices, the airport tower, the power station, lost their roofs where these were not made of reinforced concrete slabs.  The worst sight is the power and telephone lines.  Nearly all of them are snapped off and were strewn across the roads (or they were for a couple of days after the hurricane struck; they are all shoved off the road now).  My uninformed opinion is that it will be sometime next year before power is fully restored to the island.

The people are coping well with the crisis.  There is a lot of good natured helping of each other, and the government is doing a good job of keeping people informed on the government radio station and various websites.  A lot of aid and assistance has been promised, but only time will tell is this is real or just superficial.  Take water: most Anguillians have a 20,000 gallon cistern, so international offers of plane-loads of bottled water do not mean much.  It taste’s a little better than cistern water, but that is all.  Hopefully, Carilec (the regional cooperative effort among the islands’ power companies where they all come to the assistance of a stricken island) will prove more substantial.  After Hurricane Luis in 1995 it was amazing to see Grenada’s ‘Grenlec’, St Lucia’s ‘Lucelec’, St Vincent’s ‘Vinlec’, Antigua’s ‘APUA’ and others, with their men in their national colours and operating their national trucks brought in by ship lined up on one highway with their separate teams working on pole after pole restoring electricity to the island.  Though it took 3 months for the entire island’s power to be restored, the main population centers were back on stream within a month of the total destruction that Luis brought.  So, I can hope the same will happen again.  The British have promised 55 million pounds of assistance for the BVI, TCI and Anguilla.  I fear that most of that will be in placing 2,500 soldiers and naval ships in Road Town and in TCI to control the looting there.  I understand 120 violent criminals escaped from a damaged BVI facility and are roaming Tortola pillaging and looting.  Nothing like that in Anguilla.  Just plenty of cleaning up and rebuilding. 

Keep well.

Don

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From: Glen Mckoy

Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2017 11:38 AM

Subject: Re: IRMA

Everyone asking about you, Sir Don.

Yuh still alive, that is all I want to hear.

If there is anything we can do please inform us.

Best regards to you and the wife.

Cheers, Glen.

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From: idmitch idmitch@anguillanet.com

Sent: September 7, 2017 7:26 PM 

Power probably not coming back until next year.

Would you be able to post Ladislao's circular on the MSB Facebook page until internet back and I can access blogger again?

Don

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From: Glen Mckoy <mckoy43glen@hotmail.com>

Date: 9/7/17 14:57 (GMT-04:00)

Hope you are safe,  these hurricanes are getting bigger and bigger.

We must heed these warnings for our future.

Cheers, Sir Don. 

Best regards, Glen.

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08-06-2017 10:05:06: Joseph Habib: Now that's how we say good morning.

08-06-2017 11:21:56: M Kenny Azizul: My god I haven't eaten a doubles so long and drink a red solo Shit I going to queens this weekend

24-06-2017 20:11:35: M Ahow Hector Tx: To my tri friend Í want more like this my family like it very much please thank you

02-07-2017 05:19:37: M Kenny Azizul: Hey Winston I am in Trinidad I just came in call me

02-07-2017 10:25:58: Mt Ramsahai Winston 99: Great my cell no 774-4999

02-07-2017 22:33:28: M Kenny Azizul: Hey Winston I have a few turns to make and will not be back in time can we cancel I will be back in august 10th can we do it then

02-07-2017 23:39:44: Mt Ramsahai Winston: Ok will call Jimmy Joe Garth  and Gabe to cancel chat Tomorrow

03-07-2017 09:06:42: Joseph Habib: I just received a message that Fr Cuthbert was admitted to hospital yesterday. Fr Abbot will like all to pray for him.

03-07-2017 09:11:52: M Kenny Azizul: Ok will do

03-07-2017 09:58:08: Ladislao: I will pray, good man

03-07-2017 13:38:32: Mt Ramsahai toddy: Great man  so will I

07-07-2017 13:05:40: M Coscarart Salvador: Termino de chemoterapia.

07-07-2017 13:12:29: M Ahow Hector Tx: Felicitaciones

07-07-2017 14:04:23: M Coscarart Salvador: Thanks to all my brothers from The abbey School for your prayers  and donations. Other lumber puncture treatment will continue for a few months and some for two years. The Cancer is gone. God bless you all.

07-07-2017 14:43:44: Mt Berment Joseph: Salvador, My Brother, Wishing you all the best for your continued good health, healing and anointing.

07-07-2017 15:37:39: M Kenny Azizul: Salvador, My Brother, Wishing you all the best for your continued good health, healing and anointing.

22-07-2017 07:36:39: M Rampersandsingh Anand: Ten to One, with Ken Ali, Every Sunday from 10am - 1pm only on U97.5FM Hot Like Pepper... Don't Miss It!!!! 🎤🎧
22-07-2017 12:26:09: M Ahow Hector Tx: Este es un loco exagerado, aquí en las fuerzas armadas no hay esa cantidad de personas Arturo desde lecheria

24-07-2017 09:58:54: Ladislao: Ian just wrote: Does anyone know the position with Fr. Cutbert? I know he was in the hospital but that’s all. Has he recovered and back at MSB. As most of you know I am presently incapacitated with this cutlass cut on my left foot and in a cast. I will be grateful if someone can find out please and let me know. Thanks brothers.

28-07-2017 11:48:37: Joseph Habib: Some old videos I just want to share with you. Enjoy

30-07-2017 16:15:51: M Coscarart Salvador: Joseph Berment, how are you doing. Are you back from Canada? Can you send me the phone number for Jimmy Samaroo, please. Found an old abbey boy Alfredo Achong from Venezuela also Trinidadian, him and his brother Gustavo went to Mt in 1969-70. He was in Mr Mark classroom with Mezzana, Jimmy Samaroo and Blajic. Ok brother have a great new week coming up. God bless. Thank you.

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EDITED by Ladislao Kertesz,  kertesz11@yahoo.com,  if you would like to be in the circular’s mailing list or any old boy that you would like to include.

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Photos:

14UN0001FCUFOD, Fr. Cuthbert on Fr. Odo´s Mass

1136FBOLDFOTO, a really old photo, need year.

16SC0624SCO, Salvador Coscarart recovering team

06WK0067REUNION2006, Fr. Cuthbert and the group