Circular No 632

Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.

Caracas, 14 of December 2013 No. 632

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Dear Friends,

Merry Xmas and hope you have lots of presents and keep well.

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From: Cornel de Freitas

Sent: Wednesday, December 11, 2013 12:57 AM

Subject: RE: Reunion 2014

"Good Food" (I should actually have said "Delicious Food'')

Now, that sounded so good, I was trying, not to envision, but to see if my taste buds could remember how goooood that would have tasted...!

(Boy, did we Mount Boys Love to EAT!)

I can still remember that in the refectory up at St.Benet's Hall, in the "Junior" section of the Refectory where we sat six to a table, (as did the prep section also sat Six) whereas in the Senior Section they sat Four to a table.

We boys used to put away two of those stainless trays of sliced bread very quickly.

I can see that the MSB Brother do indeed enjoy a good meal.

Lest we forget, although we shared some of those songs regarding the food at the mount, let me hasten to remind you, we were pretty well fed  at that refectory.

I can still remember the 'Curry Beef' and there was the first place that I ate "Spaghetty and Meat-sauce", and you want to know something, it was good!

I tried to make that "Form" I attempted to fill out was 'easier ' to read and seeing it bounce back it appears my effort to make it more legible actually made it "worser".

(I believe my good Brother Glen would insert a few "ha ha ha's" in here ) [How's it going, Sir Glen, Grand Knight of the Silver Quill?]

How I do miss your inspiring stories about our 'Beautiful Castle' on that Sacred Mountain that we once dwelt in? 

How I miss that place, and the life we lived there, that we just couldn't know how much that White Castle on the Hill would be missed by so many.

That though a many of us may not have shared the same years there, we all share that strong bond of brotherhood.

All those little "Reunions" that I was honoured to be part of here in Ontario, with brothers even joining us from other places, were very special times to me.

I feel truly blessed to have been able to attend and truly enjoyed the company of all of the Brothers, some I knew, and others I just met for the first time. 

You could just sense that the brotherhood was strong!

Cornel

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From: idmitch@anguillanet.com

Date: Sun, 8 Dec 2013 16:33:38 -0400

Tonight I am having roast beef and Yorkshire pudding with thick gravy seasoned with my own home-grown Bhut Jolokia/Scotch Bonnet hybrid.

Now, that is a pepper!

Don

> -----Original Message-------------------------------------------------------

From: andres federico freytez borges

Sent: Sunday, December 08, 2013 3:58 PM

Have just had an ox tail soup seasoned with Matuk's.

Do we all like good food?

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From: Don Mitchell idmitch@anguillanet.com

Date: Sun, 8 Dec 2013 18:10:26

Hello, Cornel,

So good to hear from you.

And, many thanks for your response.

I do hope you will be able to make it.

We all like good food!

Keep well.

Don

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From: Nigel Boos

Sent: Saturday, December 14, 2013 12:23 AM

Subject: Roger Gioannetti / Old Boy

I'm very sorry to hear about Roger, John.

I shall keep him in my prayers.

Nigel

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From: "Don Mitchell" <idmitch@anguillanet.com>

Date: 13 December, 2013 8:16:28 PM EST

Thank you, John for this information.

He was a year or two behind me at school.

I remember he was at the last Reunion in Trinidad. 

How sad.

Don

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From: John A Gioannetti

Sent: Friday, December 13, 2013 4:44 PM

I don't know if either of you were at MSB with Roger...

But he critically I'll,

Doubt if he will last the next 2 weeks...

Shoalhaven House, Lot 148, Roystonia, Couva

Trinidad & Tobago, West Indies

Mobile 1 (868) 689-6283 / 1 (868) 689-MATE

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Nigel Boos

05:32 (16 hours ago)

That's our Roger, all right, Don.

He's standing right next to you.

But what's the name of the guy next to him, please.

I've forgotten.

Then, of course, is Gordon, your bro'.

Nigel

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TSTT

13:15 (8 hours ago)

Of course its Roger, after me he is the best looking Gioannetti, but not as humble as me

John Gioannetti / iCaveman

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Don Mitchell

13:39 (8 hours ago)

Hello, Nigel.

The other person in the photograph is Rolf Hive. 

He was at the Reunion 10 years ago.

Keep well.

Don

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Nigel Boos

Dec 10

Yep! I also wonder. Do you think that Fr. Cuthbert might be able to throw some light on the matter of these missing trophies?

Nigel

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On 2013-12-10, at 12:08 PM, nchacha57@aol.com wrote:

Nigel,

I was awarded the Victor Ludorum cup in 1972 for swimming and field sports.

I also wonder what happened to that cup.

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Nigel Boos

Dec 3

Interesting, Gordon.

And thanks for the input.

I'm sure that Don will appreciate the advice.

Nigel

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On 2013-12-03, at 9:06 AM, Gordon Thavenot wrote:

Hi Don, You are doing a fantastic Job,

Sorry for not having kept up with the volley of E Mails coming and going so I would like to add a few points.

I believe that September 2014 with that Republic Holiday on the 24th could be a good out of season time and please note that I recently had an experience with arranging a Hotel for visitors in June 2013.

We discovered that the Hotel with the Best Price and really great service was "KAPOK" just off the Savannah in P.O.S. 

The feedback was that all visitors from Guyana, Barbados, St. Vincent, Anguilla, St. Thomas, Antigua, Bahamas, Jamaica, were extremely happy with what they got and especially the Service.

They also have meeting rooms, an Open Air Entertainment area and of course a fantastic restaurant.

Just a thought and if you need to negotiate a good $ Price per room ? just let me know !!

September is the Best month for me but I am interested in whatever the majority agree to and I will take part. 

Sincerely

Gordon Thavenot

Financial Advisor with Sagicor Life Inc.

Agent for Sagicor General Limited

Member Caribbean Financial Planners Association

868-317-5280

868-624-9688 

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On Dec 3, 2013, at 6:40 AM, "Don Mitchell" <idmitch@anguillanet.com> wrote:

Reunion 2014 - Day 4 of the publicity campaign – Distributed 2 December 2013        (Release No 4)

Accommodation to be explored for availability and cost:

(1) Seminary;

(2) Monastery Retreat House;

(3) Pax Guest House;

(4) Hilton Hotel with Conference Centre;

(5) Holiday Inn Express, close to the airport

(6) Regency Star opposite the airport, recently opened so we should be able to negotiate a good rate

(7) . . .

Possible activities to be checked for cost and feasibility

(1) Guided tour of the Abbey School;

(2) Climb to White Stones;

(3) Picnic at Mayaro Beach;

(4) Lunch together;

(5) Reunion Dinner and Ball at the Queen’s Park Oval;

(6) Academic session on the historic role of the School

(7) . . .

Most recent comments received (in alphabetical order):

Neil Charles 1:  What about April/May/June?  We have to go with the majority, so let’s take a vote.  I can travel anytime.

Neil Charles 2:  I like Gabe Faria’s idea and he is the best one since he is connected to The Media in T&T.  He is also a very reliable person we can depend on.

Dennis Gurley:  I have some suggestions for improvement which I have inserted in the draft Questionnaire.

Fr Harold Imamshah:  I spoke to Abbot John Perreira this morning and he was thrilled with alumni visiting next year and with the possibility of staying at the Seminary close by and possibly the Pax Guest House and a possible overflow into the Retreat House. I promised him details if and when we choose the Mount facilities.

Glen McKoy:  Don, I like what Stuart is saying also.  Some good points.  Keep it interesting.

Luciano Mellone:  I am also happy with the last weekend in September.  October is kind of impossible as I have to go to a USA world shoot. Take care and hope to see u soon.

Don Mitchell:  Thank you, Chandra.  What will happen is that I shall come down to Trinidad sometime in January or February 2014, when I am finally retired from this job I am doing, and make arrangements with a Trinidadian conference/event organiser who will (for a fee, I am sure) negotiate on our behalf the accommodation, and advise on a balanced range of activities (depending on how many days we want to stretch this through, not that everyone would or should want to participate in every event).  This is just the sort of information that I would want to pass on to whoever that Organiser will be.

Azizul Mohammed:  I would love to come for the reunion.  Any dates yet?  I would need to know months in advance.  You see, every January I bid for my vacation.  After that its hell to get time off.

Paul Quesnel:  We'll never be able to meet everyone’s needs.  Once we give as much advance notice as we can, that is as much as we can do.   At some point we are going to have to pick a date and we'll just have to canvass the hotels and other venues for best prices.

Chandra Teelucksingh:  Don, there are closer hotels such as the Regency Star (opposite the airport) and they have recently opened so we should be able to negotiate a good rate.  Also, Holiday Inn Express, again close to the airport. Two of my nieces, my brother Dave's daughters, are in middle management positions at Hyatt Regency.  I am sure they can obtain some concessions for us.  Dave is a MSB Old Boy.  My first choice would be Regency Star as they are new, clean, well-managed and good food.

Tony Vieira 1:  For the Canadian residents, I have discovered that Caribbean Airlines offers a non-stop flight from Toronto to TT every Wednesday at 4.35 PM which arrives in TT at 11.15 PM - 6 hours 40 minutes.  The return to Toronto leaves Trinidad the next Wednesday at 9.30 AM and arrives Toronto at 2.35 PM.  It gives some leeway for those who want direct flights to and from TT [always the best thing] and gets them there to settle in for one day [cant count Wednesday since that is the day of travel] on Thursday before the event begins on Friday.  After the event which ends on Monday there is one day rest [Tuesday] before they head out back to Toronto on Wednesday.

Tony Vieira 2:  I understand what you are saying, but to ask 100 or 200 people for these inputs will end up with us having 100-200 different suggestions!!

Tony Vieira 3:  I have started a questionnaire.  You can change and complete it after your consultations with the TT boys and the organizer.  But, it will give us a better idea of who is coming and what they want to do, but focused enough that we don't end up all over the pace with 100 different plans.

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Ladislao Kertesz at kertesz11@yahoo.com,

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Photos:

MSBAP22MI6512, Mount Inside

75124LK12FB, Salah and his pans

13LK0445FODGRP, Fr.Odo´s Dinner in Caracas

13LK0446FODGRP, Fr.Odo´s Dinner in Caracas

09LK1771TTVISITDINNER, Roger Gioannetti and group