We owe him a debt of gratitude

IT IS with deep sorrow that we learned of the passing of the late Easton Douglas.

Douglas represented the People’s National Party in South East St Andrew in which the community of Nannyville is located. During 1996 we approached the then minister of housing, Douglas, for a piece of land and/or building where Ashe Performing Arts Ensemble could meet as a group for training and rehearsals.

Douglas was very quick to suggest a location in Nannyville that he felt was ideally suited –an abandoned community centre which had become unsafe for the community. We immediately went to work rehabilitating the buildings and soon we had the ideal centre for Ashe. We provided training for hundreds of Nannyville children, some of whom have gone on to become international stars on the world stage.

Unfortunately, Ashe had to leave this ideal location, following the death of one staff member.

Douglas implored us to return and remain in the centre but getting beyond that incident was proving too difficult for the organisation. Ashe continues its groundbreaking work of training thousands of young people in the performing arts elsewhere.

Today, we express our thanks to Douglas for believing in us and helping us to find our way in providing us shelter when we most needed it.

May his soul rest in peace.

NORMA S. CLARKE

Former Director

On behalf of Ashe Performing Arts Ensemble