Over the weekend Guyana said goodbye to one of its premier citizens. Jerry Gouveia, of Banks Jerry fame, who passed away suddenly recently. In every society, there are these special citizens living very special, even unique lives, whose exit leaves a space that is never filled by others, and he was certainly one of them.
He came with gifts in different ways, a special one, unique
Today the BSA in town, tomorrow Crabwood Creek,
Crisscrossing all the land around, Lethem and so on
The Gardens in the city, with the floating lily ponds
They knew Gov in Aishalton, in Annai and beyond
Aboard the faithful BSA he formed with them a bond
Hunter one day, runner the next, and smiling through it all
Straight as Wapishan arrow, bony frame and tall
Always with a ready smile in city or in bush
When you could do with a hand, you got that crucial push
Never much for idle talk, now that is very true
But when the problems piled up high, Gov knew just what to do.
Hunting, fishing, track and field, and volleyball, oh my
High diving, yes, and labass, all that was the guy
In early days, St. Stanislaus, Brickdam was the place
Football, high jump, 100 yards, always in the race.
And then to work with PanAm Air, Atkinson Field, oh my
Battling East Bank traffic, red dust in your eye
He learned his way around the country, that was just his way
And loyalty was part of him, part of him to stay.
Through it all he did not change, if he was friends with you
He always had the helpful hand, the bond just grew and grew
He knew the ins and outs of life… the punches? He just rolled.
He was both a simple man who often acted bold.
And so though we may wish it did, time cannot be willed
The space he left us may be something never ever filled.
This man, he was a special one, indeed, a cut above;
We look back now and can’t forget the one we knew as GOV.
