By George Henry, Gleaner Writer 
SPALDINGS, Clarendon:
IN 1974, James Edwin Wyllie, a native of St. Vincent, who was living in England, packed up his mechanical engineering career and along with his wife Lorna a Jamaican came to settle here.
He soon landed an engineering job at the New Yarmouth Sugar Estates in Clarendon and for 24 years he worked in that department "adding sweetness" to sugar. For, "If it was not for the engineering department the production of sugar would not be a
reality," he told Farmers Weekly.
Mr. Wyllie was responsible for ensuring that the equipment at the estates could effectively grind the sugar canes and he always had to remember that any breakdown of equipment at New Yarmouth like at any other sugar factory meant huge financial losses.
Only one year after he began working at the factory, he was put to the test. The main shaft for the mill was broken and to source a replacement from overseas would take weeks. Utilising his mechanical skills, Mr. Wyillie made a substitute shaft -- averting the loss of thousands of dollars as canes had begun piling up at the factory and would soon begin to spoil.
PRODUCTION
And although he was compensated for his initiative, he said that his part in the resumption of production was more important. "...The mill started grinding again and that made me very happy."
Mr. Wyllie who had aspired to senior engineer at the factory retired in 1998 and now rears cattle, goat and pigs at his home in Spaldings, Clarendon. He encourages engineers on sugar estates to work arduously at their assignments and urge that they exercise honesty in their undertakings while aspiring to be role models for their colleagues.
The retired engineer the father of two daughters: Donna and Yanique said
that should his service be required at
New Yarmouth, he would willingly
offer assistance.
