Linden’s Douglas ‘Bugs’ Joseph is our ‘Special Person’It was my love for historical documentation that probably led to me being installed as tour guide at the (Linden) museum in the first place. So all that I did there, was from the heart; I was doing what I love to do, which is disseminate information, as I feel it is imperative that knowledge should be disseminated to all mankind.’’ By Enid JoaquinExuding a youthful exuberance that belies his age, 62-year-old Douglas Leonard ‘Bugs’ Joseph, would enter a room and capture every one’s attention with his wit – his smile, his charm.He exudes a joie de vivre (joy of living) that is utterly contagious.That and his inherent helpful attitude are the traits that have made this simple man, a truly special person.Not his status in life, or religious persuasion, not his academic qualifications and certainly not his money. It is his love of life, people, his community and its history.Douglas Leonard ‘Bugs’ JosephTo emphasise my point, ‘Bugs’ has been documenting important events that have unfolded in the mining town of Linden for over four decades. These he has carefully filed away.? And this noteworthy collection of facts he has been able to share with the Linden museum, where the general public can easily access same. Anyone in a quandary as it relates to particular events during both the pre- and post-nationalization of the bauxite industry, and who is too lazy to visit the museum, need only ask him.It was ‘Bugs’ who gave me a lot of the information for my article “The making of a mining town”, and photographs of early bauxite workers, shovelling the precious ore by hand; he also gave me that old faded picture of the very first bridge in Linden, the Hope Bridge.That bridge was dismantled after the Hope Mines closed, and the components shipped to Mackenzie, where some parts were used in constructing the present Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge.A born Lindener, who entered this world on October 19th 1946,NHL Jerseys From China, Douglas Leonard Joseph,Cheap World Cup Jerseys, received his formal education, at the Mackenzie All-Age School and St Aidan’s Primary. He never attended Secondary School, but his vast knowledge and natural eloquence tell a different story.The man’s knowledge of ‘’Mackenzie’’ is seemingly limitless. He knows so much about bauxite – when mining started, how it started, and how the ore was obtained in those early days. And the most impressive part is that ‘Bugs’ could quote the dates of myriad events that occurred decades ago in the mining town, off the top of his head.His association with the Linden Museum was not surprising.‘Bugs’ spoke of the facility as though it was his second home – he even invited me over to have a look at some of the items which he had contributed out of his personal archives. He was quite candid about his tenure there.‘’ My job at the museum was quite challenging, but I loved it. I was employed as the tour guide, and I tried my best to give visitors a positive feel of what the facility represents. I would take them around and with the aid of photographs and other historical paraphernalia try to paint a true picture of our great legacy.A lot of the pictures were from my personal collection,Cheap China Jerseys, which I have gathered over the years.It was my love for historical documentation that probably led to me being installed as tour guide at the museum in the first place. So all that I did there, was from the heart; I was doing what I love to do, which is disseminate information, as I feel it is imperative that knowledge should be disseminated to all mankind.’’That was the last permanent job that he would hold. He told me that he had been ‘’unceremoniously’’ booted from the museum, for what he deemed was a minor infringement, and debarred from entering the premises, even though a lot of his personal items were still at the facility.But there was a working life before that. His first job, shortly after leaving school, was that of a caddie, at the now defunct Surapana Golf Course.The guitar brought ‘Bugs’ to prominence in Linden and further afieldDuring the same period, he was also involved in gardening and landscaping, around the houses at Watooka which at the time were mostly occupied by the expatriate executive staff of Demba (Demerara Bauxite Company)He later gained employment at the Mackenzie Hotel as a bellboy, and subsequently landed a job with Demba, at their Maria Elizabeth mine, as a conveyor man, at the Primary Stripping Department, where a huge wheel excavator was located.A transfer to Demba’s machine shop followed. Here ‘Bugs’ was engaged in helping to fit up machinery, and doing general overhaul of equipment.“While at the Machine Shop, I was partly responsible for the general overhaul of the swing motors from the 1260 and 1300 walking dragl