Rev. Desiree Pancarte turns 100
─Speaks passionately of schooling youth of today
DPI, Guyana, Thursday, May 16, 2019
Born to St. Lucian Parents in Cayenne, French Guiana just after World War I, in 1919, Rev. Desiree Denise Pancarte celebrated her 100th birthday on May 15.
The centenarian is a former popular Georgetown seamstress, religious leader and a lifelong cricket fan. She remains active in her church and still tackles various household chores.
In a birthday interview Rev. Pancarte affectionately known as ‘Nenny’ spoke passionately about the evolution of social behaviour.
Though she has no children of her own Nenny said she has always taught young people under her care many morals which would get them through life but most importantly she taught them to acknowledge their creator and have respect for others.
She believes that older folks should spend more time with the youths, steering them in the right direction, rather than writing them off.
“The young people today are indeed different from my days… things have changed so much these days.”
“It is good for us who know better to do better by giving good instruction to the young ones … I spent most of my life teaching people how to live”
Many of her foster children spoke of her impeccable memory as she has the ability to remember events since the days of her childhood. She remembers clearly her passion for sewing, mathematics and other subjects in school.
She remains a very active woman. From the age of 17, Nenny was one of the most recognized seamstresses in Georgetown. “I was a dressmaker I sew a lot and I taught many girls to sew. I put out brides after brides, bridesmaids, flower girls… in my days I really used to sew. I showed them how to get it right, I always said if you have to rip it 70 times to get it, they had to get it.”
She recalled that she was the best at this since it was something she desired to do since she was a schoolgirl.
Today, Rev. Pancarte is the Leader of the True Worshippers Church of Guyana, located in Bent Street, Wortmanville. She has been there for sixty years.
And the energetic centenarian still does some household chores.
“I do all types of things. I like to cook, bake, I would help cut up greens and anything I could do to help out and I never give up.”
She has been a cricket fan since she was a young girl.
“When cricket is on, I am there, I always listen to it, I can tell you everything about cricket just like the young ones can. When I was younger, there was only the radio and I would sit near the radio and tell folks do not disturb me,” she related.
On her birthday, her family and well wishers from her church gathered with Rev. Pancarte to celebrate her remarkable milestone. Among well-wishers were Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence who visited the birthday celebrant, bearing gifts and greetings from the President David Granger.
By: Delicia Haynes.
Images: Jules Gibson.