RECOLLECTIONS
ABOUT RADIO
IN GUYANA
See Pictures from Radio's Past.
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4/2/10
This is quite a remarkable and interesting history of a treasured period that meant so much to so many of us. It certainly serves as a testimony to the contributions made by those past and present, and how much this particular industry was able to give comfort, entertainment and knowledge to so many Guyanese and others alike. My best memories of radio in Guyana was the occasion when I took the first CD player to the radio station on High Street. I remember demonstrating this unique piece of equipment in Studio C while I was hosting the Best by Request one Monday afternoon. Everyone from within their offices, the canteen, library and the news room flocked into this small studio to see what was it I was using to make the songs re-start so quickly, as I was explaining and demonstrating to my listeners. The sad part however, was that I had forgotten the disc - Najee's Nite & Day album in the player, and some smart person assuming that it could have been played on a record player took it. I still have the case of that CD as a reminder of that Super Monday afternoon, when all hell broke loose at Broadcasting House. Yes! it was over the introduction of the first CD player to grace the airwaves of Radio Roraima on the Best by Request. Hats off to Mr. Fazil Azeez then General Manager who accepted my consistent recommendations, and who subsequently worked and fought for the establishment of the third radio station in Guyana - 98.1 FM. For those of us who are still in the fight to maintain our loaned talent, we can only express thanks for honor of being privileged to have walked through the doors of Broadcasting house in Guyana. Once you received grounding from that institution, the sky was, and will only be the limit. Bobby Vieira - Vice President One Caribbean Radio - FM97.9 HD2 - New York www.onecaribbeanradio.com We pass through this world but once. If there's anything you can do for a fellow being, it would be best to do it now. For we shall never pass this way again. One Love Franklin Vieira bobbyvieira@onebox.com - email (718) 404-3908 x1882 - voice 4/25/09
Yours truly
M M
2/19/09
Hi All,
Memories and more memories, sad we have lost such a great and historic building such as Broadcasting House, (Radio Demerara The Voice Of Guyana) lucky for me I do have visual memories of that great place, it was a pleasure spending and educating myself there with the likes of Rafiq Khan, A Hamid, Bertie Chancellor, The Chanecllor Of Pop, Anne Defraitas, Roland Philliphs, Charlie Smith (Smithy Boo) Bernice Mansell, Par Cameron, Ron and Ray Robinson, James Sydney (Uncle James) Bobby Reis, B.L Crombie,Angella Messiah, Cornel Ferdinand, Pauline Gardner, Ave Brewster, Peter Fraser, Holbert Clarke (Clarkie) Flo, Olive, Tony Adamson, Neville kisoon, Raymond Azeze, Bayney Karran, Allan Martindale, Lloyd Langevine, Bobby Reis, Bayney Karran, Shannon Yarden and the later years of GBC , Pancho Carew, Matthew Allen, Clairmont Tait, W. Mcandrew, James Debreau, Robert Lalljee, Roger Moore, The Girl and Tides of Susanburg those radio serials, Teensville, Portia Faces Life, Dr paul, Marigold Saul, who made me giggle on her first broadcast Phylis Jackson Ulita Anthony, Ulric Hetsburger, Eve Paris, Ron Cameron, Allison Stephens,Hugh Hamilton With all that took me to higher ground to be a Radio presenter from a Control operator, to Suriname, the Nederlands and now video Film here in London, the experience was worth it, Radio Dem and Broadcasting House was my life and always will be until I die, I can go on, all i can say is thank you for the opportunity of being a part of this great history, I still have the footage and memories of Control Room 1-2-3 and 4 Studio B, just memories and its sad we have lost such a great monumental structure, keep the memories flowing, i feel i am back at home, thanks to all who i had the pleasure of working with.
Carl Anthony Browne
02/03/09
If I may be permitted, I would like to provide a piece of
information on Wordsworth McAndrew which
you may wish to add to his data. He too is a cultural icon
who should not be forgotten.
I recall Mr. McAndrew hosting a programme in the mid 1960s
called "Creole Meche Meche". I believe this was his
first series of radio programmes in Guyana. He toured the
country, collected folklore from the ordinary people about
old higue, jumbie, silk cotton tree, etc, and recorded their
music and stories for broadcasting. In songs such as "Dis
time na lang time" and "Cane a cut and price na pay at all",
he gave voice to the sugar estates' East Indian women who
sang about life and hardship on the sugar estates. On the
African Guyanese side, he gave voice to Queh Queh songs such
as "Victoria married to German man", pork knockers' songs,
and equally important, told the story about the history of
villages such as Victoria, E . C. D., etc.
Keep up the good work.
Regards and best wishes.
Harry Hergash
7/29/08 I've noticed that characters like Papa Greene and Mr.Lindo, guards with years of service were not mentioned..Smithie..Mooree and our great gardener Singh who always kept the grounds of RD comparable to those of government house. Then what about those at the show window..who greeted presidents..ministers and all who visited RD for one reason or another?. The receptionists..Sheila Jordan..Millie Abrams..Luna Chung and so many others. Working at RD having a GM such as Rafiq Khan . a gentleman..knowledgeable ..decent ..dignified..RD in those days was a prestigious organisation a place of class and well trained staff..of course Rafiq spotted talent afar off..he once transformed a receptionist into an announcer..who later became Programme Director....Phyllis Jackson.A messenger into an operator/tech..Hulbert Clarke.. Bernice Mansell the best Supervisor/Manager I've ever known .Each member of staff was a compliment to the other..I remember Julian Mendes a great reporter well loved by all but don't argue with him when he has had a few . Olive and Flo who always had our coffee tasting just right.. Plus the happiness and laughter ...Oh what a great organisation was Radio Demerara it's just as if 'm about to greet Mr.Arthur Chung or President Linden Forbes Burnham, what a geat privilege. I am so much more for having been a part of what was once a great organisation.
Millie Abrams
Receptionist
Accounts Clerk
Scriptwriter.
1/09/08 Hi my name is Shameer Ali, I worked in radio (GBC) as a Control operator from Aug 1992 - Sep 2006. Yes mark I remember sukie who at GBC would not remember her. Regards Shameer Ali
9/27/07 A friend sent me this site.
1/27/07 Hi,
I worked at G.B.C for 10 years (1992-2002) with my last position
being Chief News Editor. I was dismayed, but not surprised, to
learn of the demise of G.B.C. and the destruction of Broadcasting
House. I will always have fond memories of that place. Does anyone
remember Suki, the GBC ghost? People used to talk a lot about her
but except for my office door opening( complete with knob
turning) once at 4 a.m. and no one in the place, I never saw her. I
hear she was a blonde. Ok seriously now, I consider it a privilege
to have had the honour of working with the likes of Margaret
Lawrence, Phyllis Jackson and the late Bertie Chancellor and Pancho
Carew among so many other brilliant and talented radio veterans. The
GBC's absorption into NCN marks the end of a golden era of radio
broadcasting in Guyana.
Mark Bhagwandin MA
7/28/06 Looking back, I think the people of Guyana were fortunate to have a really rich education - a lot of it by radio. It was not the best it could be, but it was better in many ways than much that goes on today. I remember being exposed to pop music, rock music, classical music, jazz, Indian music, Latin music, European music, Chinese music, folk music and so on. There was local news, world news from the BBC, news from the Caribbean, news from the USA. We heard about Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and other religious beliefs. What an education! I live in the United States now. My grandchildren don't get that variety today. Thanks for helping me remember. Dan Sealey 2/22/06
Thanks for a wonderful memories. Does anyone remember the "gong show"
in the early 50's? - also those wonderful calypsos of yesteryear? I
remember one - 'scratch, scratch me back, Dr. Keach etc.
Love it all
Mister Books
1/08/06
Hi
Since contacting you, I've checked with my mother- Arthur Hemstock's
eldest daughter who tells me that he was in Guyana not in 1950-53 but
later between 1956-1962 and that he was involved in two programmes Sugar
Time and then later his own programme Journeys with Music. It is this
latter programme that I have the tape of. I will have to dig it out and
see if it is still playable .If it is I am happy to let you have a copy.
My mother tells me she may also have some tapes of some of the Sugar
Time Programmes as well.
Hope this helps.
(Name not given)
11/30/05 Dear Torchbearer, I happened on this site quite by accident. I would like to say thanks for providing this web page. I enjoyed reading the feedback and stories from the contributors and would like to share mine. In Guyana then, a land of no T.V., my listening skills were enhanced by radio and probably served me well as an Air Traffic Controller in the 70’s and 80’s. The enrichment of our culture must be attributed to radio where I learnt about Literature by listening to “Portia faces life” with my beloved Grandma. Grandma would make dinner and feed the chickens on a strict schedule so that she did not miss the programme. The radio was a tiny transistor but served its purpose in entertaining many.
During the early the 70’s, I
hung around Radio Demerara and auditioned as
well as played my favourite songs on
“Teenager’s Choice” with Ray Robinson I requested songs on “Indian
Hour” for my father’s birthday and songs for the birthdays of friends. I
was sad while listening to “Memory Album” songs by
Mukesh and Lata as I missed my father
(he sang like Mukesh) and cared for my mother who was ill. Like most
teenagers, we developed an appreciation for music and culture while we
created our own concepts using our imagination. Thanks to all the
wonderful people at Radio Dem.; past and present, especially Ray
Robinson. Where is he please? 11/12/05
Thank you
(Name not given)
5/10/05
3/26/05 Hi Torchbearer, This is Alyson Chester nee Stephens and I was a Control Operator at GBC and I also used to produce the programme " Music to remember" Do you recall that programme? I left GBC in 1989 to migrate to St.Lucia where I have been living since. It would be so great if all my colleagues could get in touch. It would be great to have a reunion. This is so good. Imagine I just stumbled onto this site. Keep the flag flying.Alyson Chester (alypac1@hotmail.com) 12/15/04 Dear sir/madam, 12/15/04 I have known Bertie
Chancellor since I was a kid because I frequented Radio Demerara on Shows
and Request programs. Bertie was very reserved but friendly. I
recall being on a Show with him as the Host. The Show was named
'Shopper's Choice.' There was another teenager on the Show along
with me, and she was so nervous that she was actually trembling because
she had never spoken to a microphone. Bertie just calmly told her to
look at him like they were just talking and pretend that the microphone
did not exist. Those words did great justice to her. It also
made an indelible print in my mind. That is one of my fond memories
with him. May God bless his precious
soul. See you in heaven, Bertie. Evadne A. Duff nee
VanSluytman 12/14/04 Bertie Chancellor, one of the most well-known persons in broadcasting in Guyana died December 9, 2004. He devoted his life to his work. Hardly anyone knew that his real last name was Jones
(Full name: Albert Walter Chancellor Jones) and that the last name Chancellor
was adopted for radio. Torchbearer 11/13/04 What a fun page. I also have fun memories of Radio in 7/14/04 The radio drama was based on the famous Slave Rebellion in Demerara, 1823, and featured the Demerara Martyr, Congregational Minister the Rev. John Smith, who was court-martialled, found guilty and condemned to death but died before such sentence could be carried out. It was produced by Carlotta Croal for the Theatre Guild and broadcast on June 9, 1961. There were subsequent broadcasts in May 1966, December 1968 and February 1970 (this time in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago to mark Guyana's Republic Celebrations. Guyana-born Lloyd Rohlehr lived in Trinidad and later in America, currently located in Miami, Florida. 6/24/04 Hi Guys. Thanks for this site. I can recall a few shows my mom and dad always listened to, Dr. Paul, which used to be on at eight every weeknight, also Panorama and Action Line. I used to love listening to the theme music of the latter two shows. I have tried but have been unsuccessful in getting the names of these tunes. Can anyone help. Those were wonderful times and memories of Guyana and radio in Guyana. Thanks again. ramjit.persaud@sympatico.ca 12/17/03 11/01/03 To Readers SilverTorch Editor 8/26/03 I’m late but I just heard that Pancho Carew died in 1999. I liked Pancho and thinking about him brings back a lot of memories. I first knew him as MC/DJ of Combo Seven (Des Glasford’s band). Names like Butch Parmanand, Byron Lee of Jamaica, Dave Martins from Barbados come up when I think about Pancho. He went everywhere in Guyana and the islands promoting emceeing and dejaying. And he had great West Indian connections in the music world. For me, he was an important part of the GBS. Those were the days. He did some funny things. I always remember a picture of Pancho in a dhoti when Lata Mangeshkar went to Guyana. Ellie Evans (formerly Chance) 7/28/03 Hi, I stumbled on your informative page by accident and while reading the names it brought back memories of a by gone era. The history is very interesting and it brought out many facts that I did not know. The internet is wonderful for communication and this is a fine example. There is one insertion that I would like to make. I remember Allan Martindale's contribution to Radio. 'Cook up' was in the (9am to 1pm) slot and was the brain child of Pat Cameron. She specifically tailored this program for Allan. Towards the Dawn was the Joint services Military Radio program that was the first broadcast of a regularly scheduled show after midnight. This was 12.00 am to 2.00am Monday to Friday. In addition to Best by Request when Pancho was unavailable. Others include Man in the Street, and News Documentaries incuding the Year in Review. Allan was also a continuity announcer/producer. Keep
up the Good work. Warmest regards 7/8/2003 5/30/03 About Keith Barnwell When I was a young beginning broadcaster in the UK in 1971, I had the
chance to work with a Guyanese broadcaster at BBC Radio Humberside named
KEITH BARNWELL. He had worked with GBS before coming to England, and
evidently Still curious after all these years. I've been involved in radio
Programming in Florida for many years now, but always wondered about
Keith! From Silvertorch ed.: And Keith turns up on 7/14/03 From Keith Barnwell By the merest brush of luck I happened to be on the net looking for
friend from Guyana, Malcolm Sonaram. The system I was using amazed me and
led me to wonder if such obscure people like malcolm could be found by
mention what would the system throw up about me. You now know the result.
I have been back in Hull for many years , although sadly not in radio. I
have reached that time in like when nostalgia is a serious hobby and would
love to hear at length from you and all my friends from the past. 11/29/2002 Growing up my name was actually one of the most popular ones. As
a kid I used to write lots of letters to the Program 'Children's Choice'
which was hosted by Uncle James on Saturday mornings. At a period
this program held the 'Ovaltine Bicycle Contest.' Every week one
letter would be randomly selected and that lucky child received a
bicycle. I wrote lots of letters because I wanted to win a bicycle
very much. Regretfully it was never picked for that prize. But
it would always be the letter afterwards which was always awarded another
prize. This hurt my feelings very much because my parents could not
afford to buy me a bicycle. I was also hurt because I was always over
protective of the Radio Announcers - everytime my mother increased the
volume, I kept going quietly and lowering it. This was due to the
fact, that I thought that she had the announcers speaking loudly, thus
straining their voices. Then after the competition was over, I started to
save to buy my own bicycle. Then one day, one of my friends asked me
how much had I saved, when I told her she laughed so much that I was hurt
once again and stopped saving. The amount I had saved to that point
was .11 cents. 9/20/02 Hi Mary: 8/5/02 To Silvertorch: 7/15/02 Hi James: I just remembered John Fernandes, the old man. He had a broadcast every Sunday. It was not a lively broadcast. You had to love him to tune in every Sunday. But do you know what? Many people who knew him personally loved him. He was a great man with a big heart. That's how I remember him. Nelly Jones 7/5/02 Hi Silvertorch: Among my memories of radio in Guyana, I remember B. L. Crombie on Radio
Demerara. B.L. lived for sport. There was nobody like him at that time. He
alone covered everything. He was on the air early in the morning and late
at night. I wonder how he did it. Terry Shields Editor's note: Rafiq Khan now
resides in Jamaica, West Indies. 6/19/02 Enough recognition cannot be given to our pioneer radio broadcasters
who provided the public with wholesome entertainment, news and educational
topics. In some rural parts of Guyana, radios were the only links people
had with the outside world. Maurice Pahalan 6/16/02 Dear Silvertorch: I remember so many things about radio in my youth, I could write a book. But nobody else seems to remember this one. It was a thriller about firemen on radio, and I think it was on at midday on Radio Demerara. I can hear in my head how one of the men received a call then started the siren at the fire station. The other men would slide down a long pole to get to the fire truck, and then I can hear them taking off for the fire. At the fire station, somebody would shout "Let's go firefighters." But I don't remember the name of the series. Help! Does anybody know? Sammy Beckles 6/12/02 Radio Broadcasting in Guyana
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