Dear Editor,
I am grateful to be advised of the passing of a very dear friend and colleague, Edgar Heyligar. We first met when as a member of the Canadian Consultancy Team which merged the then Income Tax and Customs Departments. The consultancy lasted about one year. I was required to create hundreds of totally new job descriptions, being the Personnel Practitioner in the team. I must confess however that I was helped in this developmental exercise by the late Sandra Jones, who was more experienced at the time, by the end of which our partnership got registered as S.V. Jones Associates – A Consultancy. In the meantime Edgar and I became close friends and would offer me work attachments if and when needed. The last time we met was in the office of a mutual friend, Dr. Leslie Persaud. At times when each of us needed help.
But Editor, please allow me to refer to the frequent commentaries published about the office of the Auditor General. For as it turns out the creation of this office was in the very next Consultancy awarded me – in partnership as S. V. Jones Associates awarded by the IDB. This creative exercise lasted several months. The intention was to elevate this normal Public Service Department to one of exceptional authority that would report only to Parliament. It was President Jagdeo who conceived that to be consistent; the Report of the Consultants should be presented at a special occasion to Parliament and invited the Opposition who willingly applauded the presentation of some of the contents of S. V. Jones Associates. Editor, what a difference is the mood now.