Cheryl Metivier
CHEYENNE BASHAY recalls having two clear aspirations during his childhood – and being on the receiving end of discouraging comments from almost everyone around him.
At about seven, he shared with friends and family his desire to become a helicopter pilot in the US army.
Of course, he was reminded that he was not an American, and therefore there was no chance of his realising that aspiration.
“Everyone said that it was such a loser dream…”
Bashay went to Five Rivers Junior Secondary School after passing the Common Entrance Examination, and after a police officer visited the school to sensitise students about the dangers of drugs and crime, he decided on his second career option – being a police officer.
He had always been considered a protector of sorts, standing up for other children who were being bullied, and as a natural empath, Bashay remembers that he was often referred to as "the police" by other students.
Still, none of this stopped the naysayers from emerging to point out all the reasons why he could not become a policeman.
At 17, after secondary school, Bashay migrated to the US and became a legal resident. He eventually joined the army, and it felt like he was on track to realise that first dream.
But in order to qualify become a pilot, he had to be an American citizen.
His progress in the army was further stymied by a major health challenge. He contracted pneumonia. Dream one was out the door.
[caption id="attachment_1129403" align="alignnone" width="698"] Cheyenne Bashay, police officer, counsellor and founder of the BASHAY organiation with his right hand and secretary of BASHAY, Anita Francis at Woodford Square, Port of Spain on December 19. -[/caption]
He was medically discharged from the army and eventually returned to TT a few years later, when he settled in to volunteering and counselling – something which he seemed naturally predisposed to do from childhood. Feeding the poor and donating at orphanages seemed almost second nature.
He eagerly grasped the opportunity to become certified when it arose, and after completing a programme in domestic violence and child abuse at UWI, he found himself more deeply involved in volunteerism. As a survivor of domestic violence, he has connected in a real way with his clientele.
In 2013, Bashay decided on making the second dream come true. He joined the police (Special Reserve). His background in counselling and volunteerism made him an easy fit for the Community Police Section, where he was immediately placed.
It was an exciting period for him and he worked there for approximately six years. It was an incredible learning experience, and he “gained a first-hand understanding about how to deal with domestic violence situations, bullying, etc.”
This knowledge gave him the opportunity to engage in more volunteer work,which he did both formally and informally, in the wider community as well as with institutions like Servol. This was an extension of the work in which he had previously been involved.
Over the years,
