Dear Editor,
I would like to share, from personal experience, the achievements which Guyanese are capable of by relating the educational voyage which an old friend of mine completed with great distinction. Denis Solomon, a school-mate of mine from Queen’s College (1961-1967), was always an achiever and always brought home to his Syrian-Guyanese parents living on Smyth Street, grades which were at the top of his form at QC. Denis, I remember, always won prizes for bringing first or second each and every term, and was a good friend and one to look up to with admiration because of his disciplined approach to his studies, his humour and unique Syrian-Guyanese ‘look.’ He was respectful and correct in every way and always neat and well dressed. My father, President Cheddi, always liked Denis’s disposition and encouraged me to be more like him, especially in my studies; these were the times when Denis often visited at Red House to play cricket and just hang out.
Editor, Denis and I lost touch for over 44 years and just two weeks ago, he contacted me through KN and our friendship has been renewed, but the achievements which Dr Solomon has under his belt are truly amazing, and I would like to share them with your readers and the general Guyanese public, all of whom should be proud of what this son of Guyana has accomplished since he left these shores for England where his advanced education in scientific research (including work at the University of Miami) should be enough to nominate him for one of Guyana’s leading prizes given annually by the President.
Editor, Denis Solomon is a scientific inventor and has patents on the following: 1.(10/12/88) Use of gaseous Tritium light sources (Beta lights) with respect to nocturnal illumination; 2.(2/20/02)-Bioabsorbable matrix for use as surgical/medical dressing; 3.(3/4/02) Bioabsorbable matrix for use as surgical/medical dressing; 4.(12/17/03) Pre-conditioning of heart tissue; 5.(12/22/04) A surgical dressing for the treatment of body burns and for normal healing; 6.(3/29/06) Biotissue engineering for preparing human cells for transplant into damaged human hearts which includes an extracellular scaffold; 7.(2/4/08) In vitro human skin test assay protocol; 8.(10/8/08) Recognition of melanocytes in benign and cancerous tissue; 9.(12/22/10) Topical composition for the healing of wounds; and 10.(6/15/11) An in vitro skin assay protocol which directly uses the natural cellular interactions between un-manipulated autologous human epidermal and dermal cells. These achievements can be verified at esp@cnet database-gb. Denis has also had a book published under a pen name, even designing the cover, and although it’s not about science, he is quite proud of its publication and marketing.
Editor, imagine where we would be in our development if all the brainpower of Guyanese who left these shores and had remarkable achievements had benefited our country directly by returning to take part in building a better Guyana. But the politics of race and division has rendered our country weak, especially in technology and science, where all the best brains have migrated for better pastures, and like Denis Solomon, see no real future because of the political and economic conditions facing the citizens of our dear country. Editor, I am just not proud of my friend’s achievements because he was my good buddy from QC; no, I am just as proud because he’s a son of our motherland and a product of our best instincts as a nation. I take my hat off to Denis Eon Solomon, my dear friend always, and as we said in the old days about brilliant persons in Guyana: a true ‘brainiac.’
Yours faithfully,
Cheddi (Joey) Jagan (Jr)
