For Kurt Powder, a Guyanese-American in the US Navy and a Machinist Mate aboard the USS Iwo Jima, the Continuing Promise 2010 (CP10) mission to Guyana was an overdue homecoming.
Powder, 35, who left Guyana in 1989 when he was 13, was among four Service Members with Guyanese roots aboard the ship. They all were given an opportunity to spend time with relatives at the Central Corentyne Secondary School. The others were Marine Cpl. John Eversley, Petty Officer Third Class Daniel Singh and Army Capt. Devicka Sahadeo, who all said it was an exciting day for them.
Lt. Alejandro Aguilera, a US Marine and Public Affairs Officer (PAO), said the members got time off from being on the ship to reunite with their families, whom they had not met in a long time or were meeting for the first time.
Powder, who is married to a Guyanese woman who lived at Mahaicony, met his father-in-law for the first time last Friday. He still had fond memories of his days growing up in Plaisance, East Coast Demerara. He recalled “running around barefoot in my short pants and I remember some houses I used to go around to.”
It was his first visit since he left. His mother, who resides in New York, visits
Guyana often. His father, Albert Browne, a professional boxer, was killed in Guyana in 1998.
Powder said that after completing high school he was undecided about “what I wanted to do” until he noticed a commercial on television about the navy and decided to join. He explained that he enjoys being in the navy because he gets to travel a lot, learn about different cultures and meet interesting people. He was very happy to be part of the team to conduct humanitarian work in Guyana.
Sahadeo, who is presently stationed in Salt Lake City, Utah, was born in Berbice. She lived at Port Mourant with an aunt, Swarsattie Rookman, until the she migrated to the US in 1983. Sahadeo was five.
The mission was her first visit to Guyana and her first reunion with her aunt although she communicated with her occasionally. A medical planner for the 807th Medical Command Deployment Sup-port, she coordinated with the Navy to bring army personnel onto the ship.
The unmarried Sahadeo said her mother and older sister visit Guyana often and she was planning a family trip next year. Although she left at a tender age, she has memories of living with her aunt and of attending kindergarten with her lunchbox. She jokingly recalled “I would make sure that my soda was in the lunchbox.”
She joined the US army in 1998 on the encouragement of her sister, a nurse, who was a Major. She has no regrets. According to her, the army has “all the skills; it has good foundation…”
She has earned a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in psychology from St. Francis College and is presently pursuing a Master’s Degree in public administration. During her 13 years in the army, she has visited several countries, including Iraq.
Looking relaxed and at home as she chatted with her older brother, Bisham
Goberdhan and her aunt, Swarsattie, Sahadeo said “it feels great to be back and to see my aunt again for the first time. Guyana is beautiful.”
Goberdhan, who also resided in the US with his sister, moved back to Guyana five years ago. Singh, 22, who has served in the US Navy for three and a half years, was born in Toronto, Canada but now resides in Orlando, Florida. His mother hailed from Skeldon, Berbice and his father was from Georgetown.
In 2007, he came to Guyana for the first time on a family visit and to watch the World Cup Cricket. Singh, who is currently assigned to USS Iwo Jima’s security division, is an aeronautical engineer. He too was thrilled at the idea of coming to Guyana.
Eversley, 25 who lives in Baltimore, Maryland, has served the US Marines for three years and is presently assigned to the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force, Command Element.
He was born in the US to Guyanese parents and has relatives living at La Grange, West Bank Demerara. His father migrated to the US at the age of 16. His aunt and uncle, Thomas and Marge Eversley, and a cousin, Wesley Deene, got up quite early to make the trip up to Berbice to spend time with him. Eversely decided to join the marines because of the many opportunities it has to offer.
In an interview with Lt. Jacqui Barker, PAO, CP10 before he came, Eversely had said, “To know I am going to a country in which I have deeply rooted heritage and family ties in is immeasurable by words or a statement. This is big deal!”
He added, “Guyana is usually a country neglected by humanitarian aid and to have a connection deeper than just being a part of the mission really hits home.
This is truly a chance of a lifetime to be able to contribute to Guyana and will be a memorable moment in my life for years to come.”
