Edmund
A. Toulon
May
9,1960 - October 2,
2001
Born 9th May 1960 at the Princess
Margaret Hospital in Dominica.
Eddie, as he is commonly referred too, started his primary education at
the Roseau Boys School in Roseau.
His secondary education started at the Saint Mary’s Academy and a student
at the Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) School in West London, before
moving on to college at the Hammersmith and West London College, where he
studied business and Black History studies.
On completion of college, he was first employed as a
social worker in the North Paddington Community of London. During that period, he was
involved in music with a musical band called Samaritans as lead vocalist and
Inity Rockers, playing at several clubs and college gigs throughout London. He returned to Dominica in 1981 to
rejoin his family and set up a London based educational project program by
establishing the Frontline bookshop cooperative, which opened in
1982.
Eddie
held the position of Secretary Manager of the bookshop, which shelved
Afro-Caribbean, Latin American, and Black Progressive Literature. The bookshop expanded its services
in supplying music and souvenir items to its many customers. During the period 1988 to 1992
Frontline was engaged in several promotions with regional and internationally
acclaimed artists such as Gregory Isaacs, Culture, Burning Spear, Bunny Wailer,
Dennis Brown, Chalkdust, Shadow, Maxi Priest among others.
While Frontline Bookshop was preparing for the
celebration of its twentieth Anniversary, Eddie Toulon performed the functions
of General Management of the Frontline organizations.
In 1992, Eddie Toulon was elected the
first Chairman (Mayor) of the Canefield Urban Council, a local government
authority two miles to the north of the Capital, Roseau. He served as chairperson for two
consecutive three-year terms ending in 1998. During his tenure as chairman of
the CUC, he also served as president of the national local government
authority. In his continued
contribution to education he also served as chairman of the National Education
Trust Fund Committee.
In
1997, he took on new duties and responsibilities as Executive Director of the
newly established Dominica Festivals Commissions. The Commission’s main functions
are to organize, promote, market, and distribute the arts and culture of
Dominica. Some of the events
organized and coordinated under his direction include Dominica Carnival or Mas
Dominik, National Exposition, Domfesta, the World Creole Music Festival, among
other special events.
The
World Creole Music Festival, a new idea, has emerged as the flagship event for
Dominica over the last four years, and is currently identified as a major
tourist attraction event in Dominica.
Besides music, and the love for
culture and tradition, Eddie’s other hobbies included the sports of cricket,
football, fast cars and traveling. He leaves to mourn his loss, his wife Blanche, his sisters Sandra, Connie and Paula, brother Larry(Brian), two sons, Tyrone and Yuone and two daughters, Kimara and Gem and several relatives and friends.
May he rest in peace.