Yesu Persaud: He became my father that I loved dearly

Jan 23, 2022 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

Kaieteur News – My parents got seven of us. My mother sold wood and my dad was a groundsman. Then my mom couldn’t cope anymore and from the sixties my father was the only source of income.
I was the last of seven. By the time I came, it was impossible to provide for seven children. My life became synonymous with abject poverty. My dad was essentially a quiet human with a caring personality but I became his victim because though he loved me he couldn’t provide for me. I hardly got anything from my father.
I made it through three universities because I met good humans of all races and all religions who helped. Back in Guyana in 1984, I found life burdensome. I had no money; it was left in Grenada after the American invasion in October 1983. I was finely qualified so UG accepted me to teach. Then Burnham did to me what he did in 1978 when I graduated as the best student. I couldn’t get a job anywhere in Guyana after 1978 and after 1984.
Then I met one of civilisation’s best products. A man named Yesu Persaud. I had shipped from Grenada one of the largest up-to-date library any academic could possess. Yesu said he will knock down two wild bushes with one stroke of the stick. He would save me by giving me money that I desperately needed by buying the library and he will get UG books that it desperately needed by donating the books.
I got a handsome sum and from that day, I fell in love with Yesu because he intervened to give my post-1984 life meaning and purpose. I became close to Yesu and one day he said something to me when I spoke to him at how elite people were harassing Father Andrew Morrison to stop me from writing for the Catholic Standard and the Stabroek News.
He told me I have something special in me that I cannot see and I must refuse to be heartbroken about life. He told me to pursue my goals and he will be there for me. Yesu Persaud was there for me from 1984 until the day he died. The shape of my life today was Yesu’s doing.
Here is a repetition of what I have written twice before. And I am glad I wrote it while he was alive. After the government changed in 1992, he told me to move on with my life because UG and I were in constant war. He arranged a meeting with UN representative, Juan Larraburre for me to be the local point man for the UN office here. I agreed and that was that.
But UG was always in my heart so with a heavy heart I told him days after that I wanted to stay at UG. There was no expression on his face. And that was because he wanted me to do what I felt was best for me. Then in 1995, an unexpected burden shattered my happiness.
After a parent complained to me that his daughter was overlooked for acceptance in the UG law programme, I sought an injunction from the courts and asked Anil Nandlall to do the case pro bono for me and he did. Justice Winston Moore ruled that my focus should have been on the Dean and not the head of department. He put cost at $250, 000. I had no one to pay that money for me. Yesu did.
Then came another triangular relation with Anil, Yesu and me. I told Anil my daughter was growing up and I wanted to leave Wortmanville; that I needed to move; could he help. Anil came back with a suggestion. A piece of land at Turkeyen was about to be sold and the man selling it was one of Yesu’s good friends.
I went to Yesu and he came through for me. He asked the medical doctor to sell me and he would contribute to the sale price. He paid a third, the other two thirds came from me and my mother-in-law. Yesu provided all the logistical support I needed to construct my house. I need to mention for the second time, while building Anil donated $50,000 to me.
I never publicised the countless times we met and the work I put in when he was writing his memoir. I don’t think I wanted to make that known. To this day only his various secretaries knew that. He became the provider I never had simply because my father was too poor. Speaking objectively, he was one of the greatest humans civilisation produced.
From Elizabeth Browning (1806-61)
I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life
And if God choose
I shall but love thee better after death
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

Latest News

Yesu Persaud: He became my father that I loved dearly

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | November, 20th, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Welcome and Sattaur hat-tricks power West Ruimvelt’s emphatic win

Mominul, Jaker help Bangladesh avoid follow on

Rutherford’s stunning century in vain as...

Bentick’s hat-trick lifts YMCA to $1M and...

Final batch of tickets for opening match released

NSC to host National Awards Ceremony on Thursday

Features/Columnists

The business class also funds undemocratic parties

Rising Gun Crimes in the Caribbean: Urgent Action required by all

Too many sharks too close for comfort

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Yesu Persaud: He became my father that I loved dearly

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | November, 20th, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]