Dear Editor,
I had the opportunity to introduce Dr Grantley Walrond as the keynote speaker at the Berbice High School reunion in New York last year. Please allow me to share an anecdote I shared with the audience.
In 1966, I was Head Boy of Berbice High and Grantley was widely regarded as my successor. There was some discussion about designing a school tie and after obtaining Grantley’s acceptance to head up a committee to recommend a design, I sent out a memorandum to the other appointees.
Soon afterwards, Grantley sought me out to point out that I had “spoilt” his name. I had spelled it Waldron while the correct spelling was Walrond. He was upset about it and that I understood. What I didn’t get was why he was so insistently upset.
After apologizing for longer than I felt was required, I asked him what was the big deal about the error. Realizing that he had gotten all the apologies he was likely to get from me, he turned away and muttered something.
It was probably because he muttered it or probably because he had already turned away when he said it, but I heard it clearer than he perhaps intended.
He had muttered, “Well, one is right and one is wrong.” Admittedly, not particularly profound but it stuck with me. And I have used that concept several times since then, when caught in a tight corner!
I believe that Dr Grantley Walrond is an excellent choice to head up the Commission of Inquiry into the mining accidents. He will get it right.
Editor, Stabroek News has it right in the headline but wrong in the text. Please don’t “spoil,” his exact word, the man’s name!
Yours faithfully,
Tulsi Dyal Singh
