“My Story” – Preface
“My Story” – by Randall Butisingh.
(Reminiscences during my life beginning 1913)
PREFACE
My aim in writing this book is to leave a first hand account of my experiences of events which occurred from eighteen months after I was born to the year 1972 when I retired as a teacher after serving for more than forty years.
This is a legacy I would like to leave to posterity, as I am sure many would be interested to know how they came to be living in this land and the life and work of their forefathers..
I call this work Reminiscences because I want to include more than my own life. I want to include events which would give a broader picture of a people who emerged from semi-slavery and, with other people, helped to build this nation which was once the Pride of the Caribbean, the Bread basket of the West Indies and a Haven for foreigners who enjoyed its equable and salubrious climate, and its freedom from natural disasters..
British Guiana as it was known for a long time, since the days of slavery, was called the Magnificent Province,. Georgetown, its Capital was known as the Garden City, But time and changes have left their baneful effects – Ethnic rivalry, brain drain, corruption and economic failure.
I trust this book will help, in whatever little way, to see ourselves as one people, whose survival depends on unity, not division, on cooperation not competition, on peace not war.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
INTRODUCTION
As we approach the second anniversary of our Weblog this month: (October 21, 2009), I think that it is an opportune time to release my book promised some time ago.
I wrote the chapters of this book over the years, and revised it a bit over the last couple of years. It is titled “My Story”, and it contains the reminiscences of my life beginning in 1913. I have tried to write it in a chronological order as my life has spanned over nine decades, however this was not always possible. I may have repeated myself in some places, but this was done mostly for clarity as this book could be read as separate chapters and still makes sense to the reader.
To date, I have written 30 chapters and I will post the chapters as they are finally edited. As an online book I will be able to make changes and corrections if some information is incomplete or found to be incorrect. .. So this is still a work in progress!
Your input as readers is therefore important to me…. so please comment!
My thanks to Mr. Cyril Bryan who has helped me over the last two years with technical matters relating to the suggestion and the establishment of this Weblog, and for the editing of this document.
Today, October 07 2009, I started the posting with this Introduction and the first three chapters. The rest of the 30 chapters will follow shortly. Please look above, or on the sidebar, for the links to the various chapters.
I look forward to your comments, and please pass my weblog link to others who may be interested in my writings.
Thank you all!
Randall Butisingh
October 7, 2009.
Randall Butisingh's Weblog 
Jayant said,
December 18, 2009 at 9:48 am
I’m fascinated about your story its almost a 100 years u r the oldest bloggers and have survived two world wars, i wish to understand those days u lived.
I wish the very best and congratulate u in this endeavour of yours.
randallbutisingh said,
December 25, 2009 at 11:23 pm
Thanks Jayant for your favourable comment. I indeed had a long go at it, and had the memory to recall most of the events. Keep on visiting my Blog and let me hear from you again. All the best.
Joseph S. Persaud said,
December 24, 2010 at 1:28 am
Randall, I have read what you have written in your Preface and in your Introduction. I am intrigued to learn that you will be doing your autobiography, more or less, spanning 97 years. I am eager to read your book.
I embarked in this direction in 2002 when I was eighty years old and wrote my autobiography in “Across Three Continents: An Indo- Guyanese Family Experience.” I had much pleasure writing it and I hope you, similarly, enjoyed writing your book. Congratulations!
Joe Persaud.
Leguanite said,
December 6, 2011 at 6:34 pm
thank you for this Sir, we need more first hand accounts of this nature for the generations to come to see how far we have travelled or not.
thank you. I am a proud native of Leguan Island Essequibo River
Juliet Kissoon- Sowdagar said,
November 3, 2012 at 1:35 pm
Thank you Mr R. Butisingh for your selfless devotion to chronicle your life for people (half your age) like me and the younger generation to read. Today I discovered this blog as I was browsing the CPCE alumni ( new to me also) web page) I look forward to reading all your entry. Thank you again and may you receive the blessings from the almighty one.