–Former GNNL worker authors ‘They Made Us Proud’

By Frederick Halley

DESPITE working most of his entire life in the printing industry, Dennis Nelson never ventured into writing during those periods. In the earlier years of his career, Nelson spent some time at Guyana Printers Limited, where he worked until 1975, and the Guyana National Newspapers Limited (GNNL), where he majored in training linotype operators to operate TTS machines.

More recently, however, the former GNNL colleague two weekends ago shared with the Pepperpot Magazine that he has authored a book, “They Made Us Proud”. According to the 78-year-old Nelson, “Many Guyanese are not cognisant of the fantastic heights that have been achieved by their brothers and sisters, engendered with the sacrifices they made and the struggles they encountered to attain their objectives. My goal is to ensure that Guyanese who made significant contributions to society and meet the required criteria be recognised.”

Nelson pointed out that “a conscious effort was made to ensure that all information collected and published is authentic. Although many of the individuals mentioned in the book have passed on, it is only fair that their magnificent legacies are accurately and properly achieved, leaving footprints in the sands of time.”
Nelson said that in the first edition, he listed individuals born in Guyana and achieved fame and fortune at home and abroad. “Additional editions will include many more Guyanese, who quietly left indelible impressions in this world.”

Nelson referred to several Guyanese who left their homeland to live overseas and experienced great fame and fortune in different fields, including politics, entertainment, education, sports, art, music, acting and various other disciplines unknown to many of their countrymen because the social networks were not as they are today. “Communication from foreign countries was mainly by mail, which took as long as one month to reach its destination – if it ever did.”

About the book
In a glowing Foreword, Handel Andrews lauded the efforts of Nelson, pointing out that “They Made Us Proud” is a timely book and compiled when most cultures are documenting their past and recognising the persons who made them proud.”
Andrews referred to when Nelson, the only male in the first Commercial Education Class at the Government Technical Institute (GTI), was lauded by the Duke of Edinburgh during his visit to Guyana.

Andrews also touched by the calendar Nelson published for Guyana’s 50th Anniversary of Independence in 2016, which featured famous people and places in Guyana. “He believes that Guyanese should be acquainted with their brothers and sisters at home and abroad, who made great achievements in various areas of human endeavour.”
Andrews opined that “this book is professionally documented. Its prose is clear, economical and precise.

One of the qualities of a good book is that it should be understood by every reader. They Made Us Proud demonstrates this quality.
“Another quality of this book is that it focuses on Guyanese achievers that most nationals knew little about.”

Among the politicians featured are Dr Cheddi Jagan, the late LFS Burnham, Eusi Kwayana, the late Peter D’Aguiar, the late Dr Walter Rodney and Baroness Valerie Amos. John Agard, the late Dr E.R Braithwaite, the late Martin Carter, C.C.H Pounder, the late Norman Beaton and the late A. J Seymour are among those in the arts section. Outstanding cricketers Sir Clive Lloyd, Rohan Kanhai, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Lancelot Gibbs and the late Basil Butcher and Joe Solomon are cricketers showcased in this volume.

Boxers include Joe Walcott, Cliff Anderson (deceased), Dennis Andries, Andew “Six Heads” Lewis (deceased), Terrence Halley (Alli) and Lennox Blackmoore. The lone soccer player is Alex Bunbury. The legal fraternity features Sir Lionel Luckhoo (deceased), J.O.F Haynes (deceased), Justice Stanley Moore (deceased), Justice Desiree Bernard and Sir Shridath Ramphal.

Life before now
Nelson, who hails from New Amsterdam, Berbice, attended St Ambrose Anglican Primary School and the Government Technical Institute (GTI). After graduating from GTI, he worked at the Government Printery in the Typesetting Department. In 1967, he left the printery for the International Telephone Directory Services, which was tasked with the compiling and printing of Guyana’s telephone directory. In 1971, he returned to work at the newly-formed Guyana Printers Limited which combined workers from the Guyana Lithographic, the Chronicle and the Government Printery.

Dennis was employed at Guyana Printers Limited until 1974, when the Government founded the Guyana National Newspapers Limited. He served as Assistant Production Manager until he migrated to the USA in August 1978.

In the USA, his love for printing continued, and he was employed with R.S Rosenbaum & Company Financial Printers for 21 years, serving as manager for the Typesetting and Proofreading departments. From 2002 to 2008, he owned and published a Caribbean bi-weekly newspaper, Caribbean Impact, and from 2016 to 2017, he was the manager of Guyana’s weekly newspaper in New York: The New York edition of the Guyana Chronicle.

Dennis was very active in community work in New York and was the co-founder of an organisation that sent relief to the less fortunate Guyanese, named Support Guyanese Underprivileged Inc.
In 2021, Dennis and family migrated to Georgia where he is currently a member of the Guyana Association of Georgia (GAOG).

The official launch of Nelson’s book occurred at three locations in Guyana last year. The venues were the Malteenoes Sports Club, the New Amsterdam Town Hall and the Linden Library. According to Nelson, while the first volume is on sale at Austin’s Book Services, Church Street, Georgetown, Sonia Robertson (592-648-6022) and Dennis (917-379-6590). It will also be sold on Amazon shortly. He disclosed that he’s already working on the second volume.