| Name | John Anthony "Chalky" Ventour |
| Date of Birth | August 19, 1957, Beaulieu, St. George’s, Grenada. |
| Education | Primary: — Wesley Hall Methodist School, around 1961-1968 |
| Secondary: — Grenada Boys’ Secondary School, 1968-1975 | |
| Qualification: | |
| Cambridge GCE O’Level passes in English Language, Mathematics, Physics, Biology. | |
| Cambridge GCE A’Level passes in Accounting, Economics; pass in General Paper. | |
| Activities at GBSS: | |
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President of GBSS/AHS Science Club (1973-75), Member of School Choir and Gymnast |
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| Work Experience | The commercial firm of W. E. Julien & Co. Ltd. [from August 1975-March 13, 1979, except for October 1975-February 1976] in the Costing & Accounts Dept. and Customs Dept. |
| Youth/Community Work | Youth/Community Activist in several religious and community organisations in the North East St. George’s area:— |
| Leading member of the Constantine Methodist Youth Group; | |
| Founder/Leading member of the Youth Organisation for Social Change and Development (YOSCD); | |
| Member of the Beaulieu Action Movement (BAM). | |
| Leading Member of the Grenada Methodist Youth Council; | |
| Member of the St. George’s District Youth Council; | |
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Member of the Grenada Assembly of Youth (GAY) |
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| Other Activities | Active Musician: |
| Piano/Keyboards, and Guitar. Played in Music Bands and performed at religious and other concerts. Also, organist/Guitarist for Sunday church services conducted by the Youth Group at the Constantine Methodist Church. | |
| Trade Union History | Elected General Secretary of the Grenada Commercial & Industrial Worker’s Union (CIWU) in August 1977. Re-elected in 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981. |
| Elected President of CIWU in July 1982; Re-elected President in July 1983. | |
| Elected General Secretary of the umbrella body of Grenada’s Trade Unions, the Grenada Trade Union Council (TUC) in March 1980; re-elected in 1981, 1982 and 1983. | |
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So, President of CIWU and General Secretary of TUC at time of October 1983 US Invasion. |
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| Activities in Prison |
Apart from his own personal Professional Accounting and Computer studies, he has been a leading teacher in many subjects in the Prison’s Education Programme over the past seven years: at School Leaving, GCE Ordinary and Advanced Levels (in Mathematics, Accounting, Commerce, Business Education); University of London 1st year Statistics for B.Sc. Economics Degree; AAT and ACCA Professional Accounting courses. He has also taught inmates Computer studies, Repair of Electronic and Electrical equipment, Music (Guitar and Piano), and French. He is also the Musical Director of the Prison Christian Council Ministry Choir and conducts the choir at cultural activities/concerts held at the Prison. |