…. This week’s ‘Special Person’ is“I hope that optimism would keep alive the hope and aspiration for an international society that is rule-based, which provides for the equivalence of the aspirations of all peoples irrespective of race, nationality or location…In that sense, for me it was a great joy to work with the UN.”By Sharmain CornetteRashleigh Esmond Jackson O.R. is not your average ‘Special Person’. In fact this distinguished, dedicated and respected son of this soil has for more than half of his life tangibly helped to improve this dear land of ours in more ways than can be chronicled in this feature.Rashleigh Esmond jackson O.R.Among his sterling contributions are the delivery of many a professional to the local workforce during his days as an Educator and his many attempts to help bring hope to human kind while a Permanent Representative at the United Nations. He was also instrumental in helping to quell the effects of Venezuela’s claim to Guyana’s land back in the 1960s even as he engaged local efforts to establish bilateral links with other countries. Even though stricken by a stroke, Jackson continues to unreservedly share his knowledge and skills acquired over the years to those who are willing to listen and learn.On January 12,Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping, 1929, Rashleigh Jackson was born to parents Harold and Muriel Jackson in New Amsterdam, Berbice. However, he spent his formative years at Hague, West Coast Demerara, where his father had secured a job as Head Teacher of the Blankenburg Congregational School. Mrs Jackson was a homemaker.As the eldest of six siblings, two of whom are now dead, the young Rashleigh was expected to do well in academia, especially since most of his relatives were serious about education. “I had no extraordinary difficulties to learn things. I grew up in a home in which my father was a teacher and I had many relatives who would teach us themselves. We grew up in an environment where education was a premium, you couldn’t fool around with education,” Jackson asserted during an interview.He recounted that during his schooling days, village life was very different from what it is today. Villagers, he said, were keen on taking interest in the welfare and development of young people. “If you were seen to be doing something out of the ordinary a report could be given to your parents by villagers and disciplinary action followed,” Jackson related.He, even to this day, has some memories that re-enter his mind from time to time. And they are not all of being flogged.? There was a sense of community in Hague, according to Jackson, who recalls that living there was an interesting experience because it was a very ethnically mixed village. “One grew up in an environment in which you had certain attitudes of tolerance and mutual understanding and as children you tended to do things that boys do together regardless of ethnicity or status.”Mr. Jackson in the company of current Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and Sir Sridath RamphalA drive on the West Coast of Demerara brings on a feeling of nostalgia which would usually flood his mind with memories of the days when he along with other youngsters would fish in the flooded cane fields at Cornelia Ida, a few villages away from his former home.After attending primary school in Hague, Jackson was awarded a place at Central High School which he attended for just one year. He was bestowed with a scholarship which saw him attending Queen’s College (QC). He spent eight years acquiring his secondary education.After secondary school he was able to secure a job in the Civil Service, an area he remained in during the period 1949 to 1954. It was during that very period he was inducted into the teaching arena. “I did a spot of teaching at QC when they were short of a master. It was a common practice for them to recall some old students to teach for short periods. It may have been in 1952 but then I taught for only a few months,China Jerseys,” Jackson recalled.In the meantime, he had studied privately and did an external Bachelor of Arts Degree at the London University. And it was in 1954 he was awarded a scholarship to go to England to undertake an Honours Degree in Mathematics. Jackson spent three years in England after which he returned to Guyana and was appointed a Master at QC.Jackson offered his service as an educator for about seven years (1957 to 1964) during a time when the number of expatriates was declining and more Guyanese were being appointed to staff and assuming top posts. “To me teaching was very exciting, having attended QC myself, to be involved in the moulding of young minds and to see how people respond to your teaching even as their personality evolve.”With pride he recalled that among the students he taught were persons who subsequently occupied prominent posts in the society