Dear Editor,
There are little things – that are really big things – which help to make Barbados special and give credence to the oft-repeated boast of its brilliant first female Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley, that “This is who we are”…. many positives.
For the over four decades that I have been resident on this island the examples of its difference have been legion, and my children have flourished in the serenity of its social and political environments and the high quality of its secondary education.
I had thought that I had experienced all the good that Barbados and Bajans had to offer “furriners”; but then came a special day in November which brought an incident that staggered me, for it was almost beyond belief.
Its genesis was over 40 years ago in London, England, when my niece, Ms. Avis Mc Dougall, was involved in an historic occurrence which placed her on the front pages of the leading British newspapers… in a positive light.
For that day… and in those special circumstances… she got more publicity than Royalty.
The Williams Family delighted in such unexpected special exposure for one of its young members; and I, as Avis’ Uncle, opened a file with photographs and newspaper clippings.
More than four decades later… in early November 2020… I came upon that file when searching my library for other things; and decided its proper place now would be with Avis.
So, I placed the folded newspaper Front Page clipping and several photographs of then young Family members into an 8″ x 6″ white envelope which I then addressed to Avis at her London address and added the sender’s name and address in Barbados.
I had one other piece of mail to send off… in an identical envelope, but going elsewhere. I carefully sealed the envelopes, then went out to join neighbour Peter Webster, who also had several rounds to make and was providing transport, as my vehicle has been garaged for some time.
We made several stops along the West Coast Highway, including at the Holetown Police Station to ask directions to a Justice of the Peace who I wished to sign an application for a new Guyana passport. Their directions were accurate, but the JP was not at home when we got there.
There were 3 other stops before I went to the Holetown Post Office….to be stunned by the fact that I was holding only one of my 2 signed envelopes. The one to Avis had vanished. How come ? When ? Whereto ? I had no idea.
It was a mystery that made me so disappointed that it had happened to me. Did it fall out during one of my several exits from the vehicle ? Material that I had kept for nearly half a century just gone like that !!
When Peter had completed his rounds, he “dropped” me back home. Although I knew I had left home holding the 2 signed and sealed envelopes, I yet searched the house. Exercise in futility.
Then the prognostications… for nearly half a century I had secured those precious newspaper clippings with the historic report, Avis’ photograph and separate prints of Avis’ then very young 2 daughters. Now, in a flash, everything had “gone tru de eddoes”.
Reflections and wonderment didn’t end that day… but as much as I mentally retraced steps and recalled stopping points along our outward journey, there was no explanations as to how that envelope could have dropped from my hand, or where it had gone.
Some Guyanese would contend that the other envelope was a bully, saw the second as a rival and pushed it out.
I was harsh in condemnation of my own idiocy. How could I have allowed such to happen ? A precious package lost.
About a week later my district postman delivered to my home written communication on behalf of the Postmaster General at Headquarters in Bridgetown requesting that I go to any post office convenient to me and pay $2.20 for the required stamps to have my envelope sent to London.
Payment was made at the Speightstown Post Office which immediately communicated with Bridgetown and the missing mail was dispatched… which Avis has since received, with all material intact.
I still don’t have the foggiest where that sealed, addressed and unstamped envelope (with my return address) could have fallen from my hand. Did it fall unnoticed when I exited the vehicle at one of the several stops we made?
Evidently, a Barbadian saw it somewhere, picked it up, noted the destination address and the return address, and sensibly and honestly put it into the nearest mailbox. That is how it reached the Postmaster General’s office in Bridgetown… for, as the Prime Minister says… “This is who we are !!! “
Yours faithfully,
Hubert Williams