Mih Buddybo Mac Volume 1 Reminiscences, Public Service Life, Guyana Broadcasting Service (GBS) Triumphs on/of Wordsworth McAndrew November 22nd, 1936 - April 25th, 2008 Edited & Compiled by Roy Brummell 1 Edited & Compiled by Roy Brummell MIH BUDDYBO MAC - Volume 1. Reminiscences, Public Service Life, Guyana Broadcasting Service (GBS) Triumphs on/of WORDSWORTH MCANDREW © Roy Brummell 2014 Cover design by Peepal Tree Press Cover image: Courtesy of Ashton Franklin. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmit- ted in any form without permission. Published by the Caribbean Press. ISBN 978-1-907493-77-5 2 Contents: Acknowledgements: ............................................................ iii Preface: .....................................................................................v Introduction: ........................................................................ vii The Biography of Wordsworth A. McAndrew ............... xi Mac’s Resumé ...................................................................... xv REMINISCENCES: Dr. Frank Birbalsingh: A Supreme Master of Guyanese Speech and Orality (August 24, 2012) ........................... 3 Oscar Wailoo: A Remarkable Guyanese (September 14, 2012) ........................................................ 7 Marc Matthews: Exceptional Intellect and Integrity (September 3, 2011) ........................................................ 10 Vic Hall: ‘Scouter’ Mac (August 20, 2013) ....................... 13 Ken Corsbie: The Defender (August 23, 2011) ............... 16 Sir Ronald Sanders: He lived in New York and New Jersey; his Muse spoke to him from Guyana (January 23, 2014) ............................................................ 19 Stanley Greaves: A Deep Feeling for and Understanding of Words (September 10, 2012)......... 24 Oscar Ramjeet: A Lot Can Be Said of My Pint-Sized Friend (September 13, 2013) ......................................... 27 Lawrence (Lorenzo) Blackmore: First Traditional African Wedding Celebration that I knew of... (February 16, 2014) ......................................................... 31 Rosie McAndrew: I Was Immediately Drawn to Mac (April 26, 2013) ................................................................ 33 Margaret Lawrence: In Wonder of this Man (July 9, 2013) .................................................................... 40 John Criswick: Wordsie (August 19, 2012) ..................... 42 Dr. Judith Roback: Finding Words (September 18, 2012) ...................................................... 53 Francis Quamina Farrier: He was now the ‘Sultan’ and not Wordsworth McAndrew (September 26, 2011) ...................................................... 60 3 Joyce Urmela Harris: Mac Pumpin Me saangs (May 20, 2013) .................................................................. 64 Dr. Ian Robertson: Facing up to Mac’s Challenge (April 30, 2013) ................................................................ 68 Dr. John R. Rickford: Waka Bunu (Walk Good) (July 20, 2013) .................................................................. 71 Rooplall Monar: Mac embraced all cultures; Mac embraced all customs; Mac embraced everybody (October 26, 2013) ........................................................... 73 Prince Maison: A positive influence on my life as my immediate supervisor... (April 2, 2014) ....................... 78 Claud Leandro: Remembering Wordsworth: An Enigma of a Man (September 14, 2011) ..................................... 81 Eusi Kwayana: The Keeper (July 24, 2013) ...................... 85 Pauline Melville: ...Mischievous and Light-Hearted and Deeply Serious About His Work (May 3, 2013) ......... 86 Roy Brummell: Mac Never Lost Mental Sharpness and Eagerness (April 25, 2011) ..................................... 88 PLEASANT SURPRISES!: Roy Brummell: Pleasant Surprises! .................................. 95 Mac’s QC Composition: Changes in Georgetown during the past twelve Months (Undated) ..............................96 Rules of the BG Centre of the International PEN Club (February 24, 1960) ..................................................... 99 Minutes of the Inaugural Meeting of the British Guiana Centre of PEN (February 24, 1960) .......... 105 Skit on Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow (Undated) ........ 109 EARLY PUBLIC SERVICE LIFE: Roy Brummell: Mac’s Early Work Life ........................ 115 Mac: Unfair Treatment Letter (January, 1962) .......... 116 Mac: Resignation Letter (September 16, 1963) .......... 121 Ministry of Agriculture: Letter Confirming Salary Due (September 30, 1963) ........................................ 122 New Widows and Orphans Fund: Contribution Letter (February 19, 1964) ....................................... 123 4 Office of Prime Minister: Temporary Information Letter (September 1, 1966) .......................................... 124 Office of Prime Minister: Development Programme Letter (October 12, 1966).............................................. 125 Mac: Letter Questioning Reduced Salary (August 2, 1967) ......................................................... 126 Ministry of Information: Response to Salary Question (August 4, 1967) ........................................ 128 Reminder Note on Reduced Salary (August 10, 1967) ....................................................... 130 Ministry of Information: Copy of Memorandum Letter (August 15, 1969) ........................................... 131 Public Service Commission: Information Officer Appointment (September 20, 1967) ........................ 132 Public Service Commission: Response Requested (December 4, 1967)..................................................... 133 Mac: Copy of Terms of Acceptance Letter (December 14, 1967) ................................................ 134 Mac: Acceptance Letter (December 14, 1967) ............ 135 GBS WORK NOT SO WELL-KNOWN: Roy Brummell: GBS Work Not so Well-Known, 1968-1969...................................................................... 139 Hugh Cholmondeley: Jeep Memo (October 28, 1968) ..................................................... 140 STORM THEN CALM: Roy Brummell: Storm then Calm, 1969-1977 ................ 143 Sunday Chronicle: ‘GBS Director Producer in ‘dress’ clash’ (April 27, 1969) ................................................... 144 Kwame: Letter of Support on Dress (Undated) ........ 146 Guyana Graphic: ‘GBS Terminates McAndrew’s Services (April 29, 1969) .......................................... 147 Sunday Mirror: ‘High-handed action at GBS questioned’ (May 4, 1969) ....................................... 148 Guyana Graphic: ‘PPP attacks GBS in McAndrew Affair’ (May 4, 1969) ................................................. 150 5 Sunday Chronicle: ‘About Dress & GBS’ (May 4, 1969) ............................................................... 153 GBS: Invitation to Roy Dunlop’s Farewell (May 28, 1969) ............................................................. 155 Roy Dunlop: Appreciation Letter to Mac (May 31, 1969) ............................................................. 156 Sunday Chronicle: ‘ASCRIA hits at dismissal of McAndrew’ (June 1, 1969).................................. 157 UG Staff Association: Letter of Support against Mac’s Dismissal (June 21, 1969)............................... 159 Lucian, Guyana Graphic: ‘Lecturing the Lecturers’ (June 30, 1969) ............................................................ 160 UG Lecturers, Guyana Graphic: ‘UG Lecturers reply to Lucian’ (July 7, 1969) ........................................... 162 Hugh Cholmondeley: Letter Suggesting Reconciliation (July 11, 1969) .................................. 164 Mac: Questions Ministry of Information Salary (November 6, 1969) ................................................... 165 Undersigned: Letter of Support for Mac (Undated) 166 Attorney: Letter to GBS Regarding Mac’s Pecuniary Loss (December 10, 1969) ......................................... 167 Mac: Application for Post of Assistant Programme Director (April, 1973) ................................................ 169 Mac: Memo to Staff (February 1, 1977) ..................... 171 Patricia: Letter of Praise (Undated) ............................. 173 A STAR SHINES AT GBS: Roy Brummell: A Star Shines at GBS .......................... 179 Mac’s ‘What Else?’ Outline (1973)................................ 182 Mac’s ‘What Else?’ Introduction (1973) ...................... 183 Initial ‘What Else?’ Feature (1973) ................................ 184 Harrichand Ramdass: Answer to initial ‘What Else?’ Question (1973)............................................................ 188 Phillip Thompson: Similar Answer? (February 17, 1973) ................................................... 189 Ebenezer Harris: Funny Answer to Initial Question (February 16, 1973) ................................................... 190 Mac: Initial ‘What Else?’ Winner Identified (February 22, 1973) ................................................... 191 6 Patsy Arjune: Congratulatory Letter (March 23, 1976)......................................................... 192 Shirley Mearns: Congratulatory Letter (Undated) .. 193 R. George: Letter Intended to Insult and Scare (Undated) ..................................................................... 194 ’FOCUS ON FOLK’: Roy Brummell: ‘Focus on Folk’ .................................... 199 Mac: A ‘Focus on Folk’ Programme (1975) ................ 203 Wordsworth McAndrew’s Collection of Folk Songs of British Guiana (Undated) .........................................