I remember Sydney as quiet and unassuming but firm in conviction, devoted to Harbour View and Grace Kennedy. We worked for years at GraceKennedy and in 1985 through 1990 side by side at the GK subsidiary Caribbean Greeting Cards. Our desks were literally a few feet apart.
At the time, thinking on football only, Sydney was Presi and I a practicing football referee. Forgive me if I say, we are both football fanatics, as I am sure Sydney is still discussing the game and telling tales of his beloved Harbour View – many were the hours we spent arguing, discussing and ‘joshing’ each other about things that happened on the field. …and did he promote and when necessary defend Harbour View, the entity and its players? Defend he surely did…with gusto, passion and reasoned arguments. Yet he never raised his voice but stated his position in his always soft-spoken and controlled manner.
He became a firm friend. I did not telephone him as often as I should but whenever we met…at times after four or five years had gone by…the friendship held true. It was as if the last chat…the last meeting was but the day before.
I remember a man calm, cool and collected with a subtle sense of humour, great at his job, caring…a friend…a loyal friend. In any which way I can think of Mr. Sydney Masters the answer to me would be the same – A GOOD MAN! …as Junior said below, we are all better persons for having known him.
Junior Groves
PRESI THE LORD USED YOU TO ALLOW ME TO HELP OTHERS TODAY….
A LOT OF RESPECT FROM THE GROVES FAMILY FOR AND EXAMPLE OF HOW TO CARE FOR OTHERS SELFISHLY.
To the family, thanks for giving Presi to us for all these years. I still hear the horn and see the brown on the car outside my gate as it drive up for the wake up call for training, I still feel the smooth rides to Bernard lodge for early morning training, I still hear the soft leadership voice “Junior you have to tell these guys to go bed early you kno, its not good man, when we have to come and wait and they are not ready. Tell them I will leave them” (Presi always threaten but never will leave me) in the soft voice like only Presi can say it….I then said “OK Presi we will do better” knowing I was just up with the same man dem 15 mins before he came at 5:45am in the morning, chatting and laughing about MANAGEMENT catching us awake still.
We paid for it in training, trust me. When Jumpy start to put us through hell while the dew is on the country grass and all we can see is cane field around us, my brain start playing trick, saying “just run whe and hide inna di cane field” and a another voice sey “yu a mad man, dem man in deh have sum cutlass whe cut concrete, yu a idiot if stay up a night time a laugh and chat garbage…run, RUN! listen to the Big Dred Jumpy and RUN!!” knowing that if we say we tired to Jumpy is a DEATH SENTENCE in it self. PRESI just sits back and smiling and enjoying himself..like him know seh my was a play him earlier and is pay back time ………….Much love Presi and family you made me a better father and servant to mankind.