Dear Editor,
On Friday, February 13 at the Lichas building, a dedication concert was held in honour of the godfather of Linden theatre, Cecil William Shelborne Jones. In attendance was a small gathering that should have included far more theatre/drama enthusiasts; nonetheless, the occasion was worthwhile. The dedication of this building − Lichas − to the memory of Cecil Jones was a most commendable act, long overdue and befitting a man whom some referred to as a drama fanatic. He fetched bricks/stones for the Lichas foundation in his car, and virtually moved out of his home and lived in the compound during its construction. This was the man whose initiative it was which brought Lichas into existence.
But equally deserving of praise and to whom Linden folks should be grateful is the Linden Economic Advancement Project (LEAP) heads Ms Kathleen Whalen and Mr Neil Fraser who recognized the importance, need and value of a concert hall in any community, and without hesitation, eagerly leaped to assist. They are the people responsible for funding the cost of renovating the concert hall/theatre which is in the bottom flat. Though not quite like what it used to be when it was first built, it is now quite a lot better than what it had come to be.
LEAP had done its part, and it is now in the hands of Lindeners and it is their duty to take good care of it.
With Lichas back on stream Linden folks will now be on the lookout for frequent concerts. I do hope that the Management Committee headed by Jonathan Adams that was picked to oversee its function carefully takes into consideration Lichas and its relation to the community, and that whatever decisions/actions are taken are done with the service and benefit of the people in mind.
While the structure or form of Lichas may change, there is one thing that cannot be altered: that Lichas was built from the weekly financial contributions of bauxite workers and will forever remain the people’s building/concert hall. But there is one observation I want to make: There are members of the community around who knew Cecil Jones well, interacted with him and were also active in theatre with him and were with him at the origin of Lichas. It was unfortunate that they were not remembered and invited to reminisce and share snippets of live experiences they had with the man who was honoured.
These little things mean a lot and go a long way in making us better understand and appreciate individual endeavours and works. This kind of involvement also lends a sort of continuity; their thinking and aspirations form a nexus between the pioneers, the in-betweens and the new brigade. Therein lies the fullness thereof. This should not be treated as a trifle.
So glad that in Lichas the memory of Cecil William Shelborne Jones is preserved.
Yours faithfully,
Frank Fyffe
