Circular No 979

I have included here a conversation that I had with Stuart Monplaisir on the famous swimming hole, Cachicam, a water hole that was used before the actual swimming pool was built.

Even after the swimming pool was in use, some daring souls would go to the swimming hole to catch small aquarium fishes and if lucky, glimpses of the local girls using it.

The conversation was as follows:

The first part is about email addresses then my favourite subject, Scouts.

lazslo kertesz:

there is no one as yet, I have even had Marothy´s address as unknown.

Stuart Monplaisir:

Well I am on most of the day so if you need anything more from me you can IM me and get it right away.

lazslo kertesz:

thank you for your offer of help.

mainly I need information on the past, those MSB days.

were you a scout?

Stuart Monplaisir:

Yes, ended up being a Queen scout.

About a year ago you published a story that I sent to you about a scout trip

lazslo kertesz:

ok now I remember!! sorry.

but I need additional information, simple information

such as badges??

Stuart Monplaisir

Well you get a lot of stuff it must be hard to remember it all

lazslo kertesz:

Everybody studied for them but nobody as yet has given me the names or other information, photos or stories on the difficulties the Scouts encountered.

I know, I still remember of the construction of a bridge in the basketball court.

Stuart Monplaisir

As far as badges all I remember is the Queen scout.

The others are lost from memory.

If I remember I will send you an email.

lazslo kertesz:

When the bridge was finished Fr. Ildefonse rode his motorcycle thru the bridge, while Fr. Abbot was watching.

but that is another story to be published

Stuart Monplaisir

I remember digging the hole for the swimming pool and carting all that rocky soil away in wheelbarrows and Fr Ildefonse directing things

lazslo kertesz:

oh that must have been the swimming hole?? Called Cachicam

built off the sports field at the end of the main road before the road started up hill, at the zig zaging road before the sports field.??

I remember that we walked down to the river and about 100 meters there was a swimming hole.

Stuart Monplaisir

Yes, down behind the Tennis courts

lazslo kertesz:

good story, can you write something about the event.?

I arrived in 1955 and until 1956 September we did not have the new pool.

the new swimming pool was closed immediately after inauguration, because one side was built higher than the other and the mouth of the filters were up and dry.

I used the swimming hole down by the main road quite often even in the last term of 1956.

Stuart Monplaisir

I will try and dig up some memories but they are getting very faded over the years.

lazslo kertesz:

But I am sure it is fun to try to reconstruct the past if it was enjoyable?

Stuart Monplaisir:

It was an enjoyable place until it turned green and we had to clean it after they drained it.

lazslo kertesz:

Until the new pool was built and then rebuilt because of faulty levelling.

Cachicam was the place.

Stuart Monplaisir:

I had forgotten the relevelling.

lazslo kertesz:

I remember the Cachicam specially when we encountered others bathing like local girls.

yes, Bro, Gabriel had to use the levelling instrument, placing it at the centre of the drained pool

The solution was to raise the lower side so that all the surfaces were level.

Naturally, the bottom of the pool was and is still deeper on one of the lateral sides.

Stuart Monplaisir

I hope that I have not gotten so old that I forgot something like that.

Maybe I was playing tennis at the time.

lazslo kertesz:

it was a case of luck, not an everyday item.

In the Cachicam swimming hole there was a large rock, that claimed few bruised heads and I believe a broken arm??

Stuart Monplaisir

Where in the pool area? Don't remember.

lazslo kertesz:

I remember these because there were cases of bruises that merited closure of the Cachicam hole for extended periods.

Luckily, no one was killed but I remember the crazy guys that jumped of the rock, trying to show how brave and bold they were.

Stuart Monplaisir:

Yes, I remember the earth walls used to have small landslides.

They probably should have had a professional company dig the hole but it is a pleasant memory 50 years later.

lazslo kertesz:

By the time I used it, the biggest problem was the shallowness and people throwing rocks from the road and naturally the mosquitoes.

Stuart Monplaisir:

Yes, we used to complain but look at what we have now memories to cherish.

I for one am glad I went there.

Bernard Johnson tells me it is now a school for troubled boys.

lazslo kertesz:

yes, it is, they have placed a gate and it is closed to the public.

Stuart Monplaisir:

Going to have to sign off for now.

Will be back on later. Nice to talk to you.

I will watch to see if you are on again and I will try to come up with a story for you.

lazslo kertesz:

please do. I am glad that you are helping me with stories. till next time

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From: Don Mitchell, QC

Subject: Season's Greetings

Date: 1/2/2005 5:44:19 PM

Hello Ladislao,

The missing circulars all arrived safely up to No 160, for which many thanks.

Maggie and I are back in Anguilla now since October.

I have retired as a judge and am serving as the first Chairman of the Public Service Integrity Commission of Anguilla.

My other two Board members are a retired Permanent Secretary and a Baptist pastor.

We exist under a statute of the House of Assembly.

Anguilla is such a small place that many people have two or even three jobs.

A customs officer might work at a bar in the evenings and at weekends in the family store to earn extra money to pay for the house mortgage, the bill of sale on the car, the vacation cruise to Alaska, and the college fees for the second child in New York.

Having a second job is not such a problem.

But sometimes there are complaints and allegations that there is something corrupt about it.

That is what our Board is to look into.

We begin our work seriously early in this New Year.

Our plans include workshops and seminars on conflict of interest issues and the development of a Code of Ethics for the Civil Service.

It is such a relief to be back home.

It was no fun living out of a suitcase for the past 5 years.

The job of being a judge is not difficult, although there were some occasional challenges.

I am proud to boast that I have now served in all 9 of the territories and states of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court: Grenada, St Vincent, St Lucia, Dominica, Montserrat, Antigua, St Kitts & Nevis, Anguilla, and the BVI.

Some of them I saw for only a week, others I was able to explore over months and years.

It was an honour and an opportunity that is not given to many lawyers.

But now Maggie and I are concentrating on enjoying ourselves, relaxing, and taking up new exercises like walking and gardening.

Keep well and all the best to you, the children and your wife for 2005.

Don

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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:

10LK8698FBGDIFAM, Garnet Diaz and family

11LK7186FBGMC, Glen Mckoy

17KA0039GRP, Kazim Abasali and group

67UN0010CLASS1969, Class 1969 with UNKNOWNS

Abbey School, Mt St Benedict, Tunapuna, Trinidad – 2020 Circulars

Saturday, August 8, 2020

Circular No 979

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