AFTER having served for 56 years in the Petrol Filling Station Business, the owners of what was previously known as ROSS Service Station, have made a grand come back into the business. This time, with a modernised and more efficient outlook and as part of a network of 10 ‘Rubis Service Stations’ in Guyana. Commissioned last Wednesday, it is now known as the Ross Rubis Service Station.

This move has been lauded by members of the community who have pleasant memories of the way the business evolved over the years and how it impacted their lives – providing an impeccable service, as well as providing employment for people of the neighbourhood and generally reaching out to help persons in need and who were willing to help themselves.

Persons who knew the proprietor, Mr. Coglan Ross and family personally attested to the fact that Ross Service Station was one of the top service stations around town and the management distinguished itself as being of probity and rectitude; service-oriented; and with the customer always in mind. Others told of management’s good relations with people; with the police nearby; their highly professional approach to business and essentially their resonant leadership style.

Among those sharing pleasant reflections of experiences with the Ross Service Station down through its 56 years of operation, is Donna Bowen, who hails from neighbouring Hill Street, Albouystown, and who will tomorrow (Monday) turn 60.
Taking a trip down memory lane, Donna vividly recalls that she had been in contact with Ross Service Station ever since she was about six years old – buying kerosene for her mother.

“I was living on the Independence Boulevard side and so we used to walk all the way down Hogg Street; walk all the way to the gas station and buy kero,” she recalled. “At that time, kero was sold for eight cents per pint and that meant that one gallon cost 64 cents.

It came in two colours: blue flame and white (colourless) flame. Blue flame used to cook like gas – it used to burn clean. It never used to give soot and so, but with the white flame now, you used to get lil’ redness in the flames and so that would bring on black pot.”
She recalled that blue flame kero was the number one seller since it used to give a cleaner cook like gas. And there was also the Kenwood Kerosene Refrigerator which used to be powered by the same blue flame kerosene oil so that sold a lot.

She also has memories of parents sending their children to the gas station with two-pint brown cider glass bottles to have them filled at the gas station for just 16 cents.
“It was fun going to the gas station to buy kero for our parents. We felt a sense of responsibility and would get the opportunity to meet our friends on the way. [But essentially] we knew that we had to be careful and couldn’t hold the bottle with wet hands or in any way to get it slippery, for that would have been the end of everything – kero, plus bottle,” Donna mused.

But what was funny, was that ever so often the kids would pray that the kero in the stove would finish fast, just to get an opportunity to head down to Ross Service Station and meet up with their friends.

After leaving Dolphin’s Government School, she secured employment as a waitress at the very popular “Village Gate’ – Ross’ Restaurant and Bar where she worked for several years, finding the job very rewarding.

As time went by she became the proud mother of two children – girl and boy and, later on, even became a grandmother of one. Positively influenced by the fuel business, in time, the boy accepted a job as a pump attendant at GUYOIL Gas Station where he continues to this day.

As for Donna, with the reopening of the Ross’ Gas Station in 2017, she was once again employed with the company, and this time around – as a cleaner under the newly-branded ROSS RUBIS Service Station.

“I would urge people, especially from around this neighbourhood to continue to support the ROSS Rubis Gas Station where the service is friendly, professional and quick. You don’t have to waste time here. Additionally, with the presence of the Ruimveldt Police just across the road, your security is assured, “ Donna modestly asserted.