Northeasterners ‘cool down’ in Toco

MEMBERS of the Northeastern College Alumni Association (NECAA) gathered recently for an informal luncheon at the Cumana Village, Toco, at the home of first vice-president Mumin Abdulwudad.

The luncheon, which celebrated the work of members in reviving the association, was attended by at least 25 alumni and their friends.

With the exception of president Mervyn Richardson and assistant secretary Bernadine Carter, both of whom had previous engagements, all of the NECAA’s executive members attended the event

The sumptuous menu consisted of stewed, locally-grown pigeon peas, callalloo, baked snapper, baked chicken, breadfruit oil down, seasoned sautéed cassava and dasheen, macaroni pie, vegetarian lasagne and tossed salad.

As an added treat, Oliver Roopsingh (second vice-president); Gewan Durga (treasurer); Dale Scobie (PRO); alumni-cum NEC teacher Francis De Verteuil and Victoria Pritchard, a retired school principal (Cumana SDA) took turns churning the pale of soursop and coconut ice cream.

In recapping the journey to the re-establishment of the NECAA, Abdulwudad urged the younger alumni present to mobilise their colleagues with a view to ensuring the association’s continuity.

He also lamented what he considered to be the association’s failed bid to fill the new executive with younger, more energetic alumni.

Richardson, a retired deputy commissioner of police, was elected NECAA president in March, replacing attorney Dale Scobie, who had served in an interim capacity after the idea to revive the NECAA first came to the fore roughly two years ago.

Richardson now leads a team of eight executive members charged with the mandate to chart the course of the association over the next two years. Its work includes addressing some of the institution’s social, educational and infrastructural challenges.

In his acceptance speech in March, Richardson had urged alumni to “get on board” in assisting the executive with its work.

On that occasion, outgoing interim president Scobie said one of the major challenges confronting the association has been to attract a large cross-section of the student body, spanning the college’s five decades.

However, he said the NECAA’s theme, Stronger Together, was symbolic of the strides made within the association since 2016.

Scobie urged the executive to embrace the challenge.

At the luncheon, Abdulwudad shared his vision of a National Alumni Sports Day in Toco, incorporating groups of past students from secondary schools throughout the country.

This, he felt, would be a way to build interest and camaraderie. Scobie said alumni must first recognise there is strength in numbers.

“Northeasterners everywhere must be urged to sense and celebrate our bond. We must network and pool our human resources, our influence, our pride, our time and our prayers. These must flow as we work together to regain and surpass our earlier days of glory,” he said.

“This scattered group of people who attended Northeastern College must transform itself into a united group of self-conscious alumni, working together in concert with the current administration of NEC for the improvement of our alma mater.”