“In those days, I would say I was a show-boy; I had a Sunday girl and a weekday girl.”

By Shauna Jemmott
ONE of Gladstone Mack’s greatest desires, as one of the longest living citizens of Guyana, is to receive a visit from President David Granger “at any one time”. He is thankful for his extended years and ten children, who have multiplied his generation to over 100 people, all of whom he has lived to behold.Mr. Gladstone Mack turned 104 years old last October 30. During the transition from the year 2015 to 2016, he was lying on his bed praying and giving thanks to God that he was among those to

behold the year 2016.

At his daughter’s home in Sophia, Georgetown, where he now lives, Mack quietly spoke of participating in the last national general elections in 2015. He said he had voted in all previous elections, but was very excited to participate in making a change in his country’s governance, even though he is not as active anymore. He voted by proxy, and plans to vote again in local government elections (LGE) in March this year.

Asked if he has ever previously been visited by any government official, Mack said that although he has never previously been so visited, it is his wish to meet President Granger, a man in whom he has placed much confidence.

Mack’s daughter, Violet Crawford, said that while she has visited the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (now Ministry of Social Protection) on more than three occasions in the past five years, inviting past government ministers to visit her father as he celebrated his birthdays from the time he turned 100, none has acted on their promise to attend. She became discouraged, and ceased visiting in 2015 even though the government had already been changed.

Living through a century with almost a lifetime of excellent health, being hospitalized only once, is a story which has hardly ever been told; but the Essequibian master, who is aiming to add another half-decade to his life, does appear a little more youthful in age -– as if he is still in his 80s or early 90s.

Boasting of his fruitfulness, Mack says he is thankful for his ten children — who have given him 34 grandchildren, some 80 great-grandchildren, and four great-great grandchildren, the youngest being less than a month old.

Crawford said her father is a very quiet man, and seems happy almost all the time. He has taught his family to live with integrity. She is number eight of ten children, and is 60 years old.
Mack, meanwhile, said he is happy with “many many things”, including living to see nine of his ten children grow, and his family increase. He lives with two daughters and four great grandsons. His brother, Victor Mack, and sister, Agatha Mack, both of whom live in the USA, are both over 90 years old; while two other siblings died long ago.

Mack has, since last year, been experiencing a pain and weakness in his knees, which has caused him to quit walking, and is having blood circulation problems which result in swelling in both his feet. He now has regular head swings whenever he does much talking, and has high blood pressure. But he understands that “old age” is responsible for his condition, as doctors have explained this to him.

He has urged youths to “always look to Jesus for your help. All things are possible with Jesus, and He promised not to leave us one moment alone,” Mach admonishes.

While thanking the new coalition government for raising the old age pension grant, he has advised that they also “look to the old people and fulfil their health”.

Sitting on his bed with a pleasant appearance, Mack explained that his mother died while he was still a baby, and he grew up in Aurora, Essequibo, with his father and step-mother. His father died when Mack was in his late teen years and was attending the Aurora Scot School. He said he migrated to live with his aunt in Georgetown, and developed the hobby of taking walks in the Botanical Gardens and on the Georgetown Seawall with his “girlfriends”. He then had a Sunday girlfriend and a weekday girlfriend.

“In those days, I would say I was a show-boy. I had a Sunday girl and a weekday girl,” he said, laughing. He was then also employed as a storekeeper at Garnet Store in Georgetown. After flirting for a few years with the girls in the city, he returned to Essequibo and found real love in his immediate neighbor, with whom he tied the proverbial knot.
A provision farmer by profession, he was diligent in providing for his family, and was a dedicated steward at the Aurora Methodist Church for over 25 years, preaching among other tasks.
Cricket was his favourite game, and although he was never part of major games, he enjoyed the memorable catches in the street games he played most.

Mack is a lover of Church’s chicken, but credits “the provision I used to eat” for his long life. “I grow on plantain, eddoes and cassava,” he said, and added, “I must say thanks to God to spare my life to see 104 not out. I ask God to (let me) see many, many more years.”