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George Moon Sammy was born on November 17th 1922 in Duncan
Village, Trinidad. He came from a poor family and as a
youngster, worked in a sugar-cane estate and sold produce on the
streets. He attended Canaan Canadian Mission School but left at
age 13 to work full-time. At home he studied French, Chemistry
and Mathematics.
He worked as an apprentice tailor and took typing, shorthand and
book-keeping courses. Afterwards, he worked at Texaco Oil
Company as an office boy, then a lab hand. There he developed a
desire to pursue a career in chemistry. In 1953, he passed the
matriculation examination and was accepted by Sir John Cass
College, University of London. In England he worked during
vacations to earn his tuition fees and became an active member
of the World Scout Association. In 1957, he earned a Special
Honours Degree in Chemistry.
He was employed by the Texaco Refinery Laboratory as a Chemist
then as a Research Chemist. In 1964, while a post-graduate
student at UWI, he was offered the position of Lecturer. He
earned a doctorate in Physical Organic Chemistry (1966) and
completed a Master of Science in Food Science and Technology at
the University of Massachusetts, USA (1967).
Sammy returned to UWI and introduced courses in food technology.
He established the Food Technology Unit and first Food
Technology Laboratory in Trinidad and Tobago. He led research to
develop new local food products and pioneered work on the
preservation of local produce. He created a composite flour made
from sweet potato and wheat, a sorrel drink, a canned fruit
cocktail and “instant (dehydrated) yam” used in Barbados. In
1977, he was elevated to the rank of Professor in Food
Technology.
Sammy was instrumental in establishing the Caribbean Institute
of Food Science and Technology and assisted tremendously the
National Foodcrop Farmers Association in educating farmers on
preservation techniques to start small businesses. A nature
lover, he founded the Trinidad and Tobago Tropical Fish
Association and was an active member of the Orchid Society. He
registered three new hybrids.
Professor Sammy received two national awards, the Hummingbird
Medal (Gold) in 1974 and the Chaconia Medal (Gold) posthumously
in 1988. He died on 11th July, 1988.
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