'Mother of Mayaro' Miss Patsy honoured for community service

Patricia "Miss Patsy" Lezama, an icon in Mayaro, turned 69 on Tuesday March 14, six days after the office of the chairman of the Mayaro/ Rio Claro Regional Corporation honoured her as part of its International Women’s Day (IWD) celebration.

To mark the birthday, the corporation’s chairman Raymond Cozier joined with several non-governmental organisations (NGOs), including the Network of Rural Women Producers TT and the Spotlight Initiative, to honour her with a gift and certificate for her contributions to the community.

Lezama, who is known as the "mother of Mayaro," has been the leader of the Mayaro Scouts Group since 1985. She is credited with training thousands of people in the community. The group has a musical marching band. Members are taught about survival skills and to play several instruments.

On being honoured, Lezama told Newsday she was elated and expressed joy in helping past and present band members whom she referred to as her children.

"Always lend a helping hand. I feel proud of my children," Lezama said adding that many of them work in the national security field as soldiers and police.

Whenever young people appeared to be heading in the wrong direction, she would track them down and give them advice.

"From the time people give up, I would find them and talk to them. I used to feel like at a point in my life, so I know what they are going through mentally. Anywhere I go, I advise people," Lezama said.

"People must walk with their head high. I tell the girls, blessed be the women who work hard for her bobs (money). If we as women work for our money we do not have to depend on any man."

Lezama has asked several companies for help for the scouts over the years. She credited the now-defunct Amoco for giving the group its first sets of instruments.

She also praised BPTT, including the community liaison officer, Matthew Pierre, and communications and advocacy advisor Joel Primus, for working with the group. BPTT offers a musical training programme.

Lezama was among three women, businesswomen Sunita Persad and Denice Dedier, from the Mayaro/ Rio Claro region, whom the corporation honoured on IWD for their achievements. IWD’s campaign theme is Break the
Bias.

In honouring Lezama, Cozier said the mother of four has been breaking the bias from a tender age. He recalled that Lezama faced many challenges and was raised at the Belmont Orphanage. She had a history of running away from the orphanage. She was also illiterate but later taught herself to read.

"She would also often sneak into music classes to listen in and learn. Despite her challenges, Patricia displayed the qualities of a natural leader. She was appointed as a section leader in one of the orphanage’s departments and cared for the younger kids," Cozier said.

At 16, Lezama ran away and went on to live with her father in Mayaro. However, due to her father’s illnesses, she lived on the streets of Port of Spain for three years in a cardboard box.

After the birth of her first child, she returned to Mayaro and has stayed there since, volunteering with community groups then leading the scout group.