– How three generations of men contributed to 100 years of serving the people of Guyana

OPTOMETRIST Don Gomes, the third generation of opticians in his family, announced that the business, birthed by Neville Schuler and his grandfather’s brother, Joaquime Gomes, has been serving the people of Guyana for the past 100 years.
Schuler and Gomes Optical was established in 1924. He related that it was Schuler who started him out in the British days.

He was instrumental in bringing optics to Guyana from Germany.
Gomes told the Pepperpot Magazine that the small business was founded and located on Main Street, Georgetown. He stated that his father and his brother came with Schuler, but his uncle went into mining in Region One (Barima-Waini) while his father partnered with Schuler to start their own business as opticians.
Gomes disclosed that his father went to Philadelphia, USA, to study optics and he eventually took over the business from Schuler in its entirety upon his return to Guyana after completing his studies.

He added that over time the business was passed onto his father, and it was still named Schuler and Gomes, then renamed Das and Parris when he (Schuler) retired in 1973.
Gomes explained that his father, Rudolph Gomes, later partnered with Cecil Das and Aubrey Parris to sustain the optical business in 1974, and it was relocated to Cummings and Middle Streets, Georgetown.
He reported that the trio sponsored him to study abroad, and in 1983, he graduated in Canada and returned to Guyana to join the staff of opticians.

Gomes told the Pepperpot Magazine that from 1983 onwards, between Guyana and Canada, they continue to serve the nations, and he will do so until he is retired, maybe this year.
“I had a wonderful career, I liked serving the people, and during that time, I met a lot of good people who became like family,” he said.
The father of five pointed out that of his children, his daughter may take up the business, but he remains hopeful she does.

Gomes admitted that he didn’t want to become an optician, but he followed tradition, and it was expected of him to do so, to carry on the family business.
He had his eyes set on becoming a military helicopter pilot; it was his dream, a vision he had as a small boy, but he had to give it up to fulfill his quest of becoming an optician but he has no regrets.
“I wasn’t pushed to do it. I did it because I wanted to,” he said.

Today, Don Gomes Optical is located at 71 Brickdam, Georgetown and is proud to have given100 years of service to the people.
“The profession has allowed me to become friends with a lot of people and I am truly revered by my patients; it gives me certain responsibilities to the public and I see it as my social responsibility to the people,” he said.

Gomes noted that he has been in the business for 41 years, from 1983 to present day, and he is very happy to have been a part of the lives of so many people over the years of service.
He told the Pepperpot Magazine that although he worked between Guyana and Canada, it was a wonderful experience, and the best part about the job is getting to know people on a one-on-one basis.

Gomes, however, continued to qualify himself and he also studied in New York, USA.
He reported that he did a lot of community work locally, and he ran for office in City Hall in 2016 to serve in constituency eight Stabroek/Wortmanville. He didn’t win but is still cleaning up the city.

Gomes was the recipient of the Medal of Service (MS) by the then President of Guyana, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, in 2011 for 14 years of service to the nation for his contributions to Mashramani celebrations.
He was born on September 28, 1957, in Georgetown, married with five children, and his education status is Central High School (Georgetown), Ottawa University, Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology (Canada).
Gomes’ interests are community service, music, reading, research, writing and history.