Ramsamooj — a community pioneer

THE EDITOR: As a resident of the Constituency of St Augustine, I am aware that the lands at Lower Dookiesingh Street, St Augustine south (south of the Churchill Roosevelt Highway) have been relatively developed and a large number of houses have been built thereon. There is now electricity, water, slipper drains, a paved roadway and telephone.

However, I would be remiss in my duty to the uninformed if I do not say that the one singular person responsible for all these necessities is a resident whose name is Ethelbert Ram-samooj. Prior to now this area was one of Caroni (1975) Limited’s canefields, marshy, swampy and desolate. Sometime in 1992, on the request of the then Member of Parliament, John Humphrey, I chaired a meeting in the middle of this canefield. Present were Ethelbert Ram-samooj, former Councillor Kumkaran Ramjattan, Mr Rango and Vishnu Persad of the Lands Department of Caroni (1975) Limited. Thus began the establishment of this community.

Mr Ramsamooj visited me every day at home and insisted and persisted that I assist him, whether by arranging a meeting with Mr Vishnu Persad or by arranging transport for him to go to Brechin Castle in Couva. Mr Ramsamooj single-handedly took a keen interest in the establishment of this community. He literally walked one day from Brechin Castle sugar factory, where the office of Mr Vishnu Persad was, up to and along the Solomon Hochoy Highway and nearing Chaguanas, he got a lift to Curepe. All to ensure that the few residents who lived in the canefield got security of tenure.

Mr Ramsamooj’s persistence still endures and he continues to be the live wire in the community. He surely knows his way around. Special rec-ognition should be given to him by all the residents who arrived afterwards. He surely deserves “pioneer status.” He surely is the “governor”, an epithet given to him by then member of Parliament, Gerald Yetming. I am of the opinion that a University Degree (Honoris Causia) should be conferred on Ethelbert Ramsamooj. More than that, a National Award is befitting this pioneer who received no secondary education but who has graduated from the University of Life. The dedication and commitment of Ethelbert Ramsamooj must not go unnoticed. We can all learn from him.

SHAH HOSEIN
Rapsey Street
Curepe