Frank Fernandes

I first met Frank in January ,1985 when I started teaching biology at the Alleyne School in St. Andrew Barbados. Frank was always very cheerful  and had a wonderful sense of humor. He was a very good music teacher and was excellent on the piano. Since he was originally from Guyana ,he and I had quite a bit in common since my dad came from British Guina as it was called in those days. He pronounced his name as Fernandes. I would always pronounced it as Fernandez, so much so, that he told me, that I was the only person who did so. I left the Alleyne School after a year and a half and we lost touch with one another ;although I would occasionally see him in town and he would comment on my letters to the newspapers being daring. On those occasions, he was always in a hurry, he always seemed to be hurrying some place or the other. I last saw Frank in 2022 in Collins pharmacy here in Bridgetown. He was browsing the shelves with his back towards me when I called out his name. I hadn't seen for more than fifteen years. He immediately knew that it was me by my pronunciation of his name. He told me that he was living in St. Lucia and teaching music. He was in Barbados trying to organize a musical event which for some reason or the other did not come off. Frank was a very pleasant person who never had a bad thing to say about others. I extend condolences to his family.

Robert D. Lucas.