CSA People: Dionne Mason-Gordon

An experienced hand on the tiller

Few people have been involved in the Caribbean Shipping Association (CSA) longer than Dionne Mason-Gordon – or, for that matter, achieved more from quietly behind the scenes. In fact, no conference or CSA AGM over the last 25 years or so would have been run by something approaching clockwork without Dionne’s air of unflappability and experienced hand on the tiller.

But Dionne’s roots in the Caribbean maritime sector pre-date her role within the CSA and remain unchanged, in many ways, to this day. Dionne joined the Shipping Association of Jamaica (SAJ) in Kingston back in 1986 and fresh out of secretarial college (now there’s an institution from the past). She arrived at the SAJ as a junior secretary to deputy training and welfare manager Carl Young.

It was to be some years later, in 1994, before Dionne also began assisting with the CSA; attending her first AGM up the road in Montego Bay the same year.

Legendary

No-one who has worked at the CSA Secretariat during the 1990s can have done so without acknowledging the legendary presence of the late Monica Silvera. Dionne is no exception. Dionne says: “For me it was an honour to have worked with Monica. Monica was a stickler for perfection so she would always be giving advice on how to carry out our tasks in the most efficient manner. Monica was like our grade school teacher, firm when she needed to be but also a mother hen when that was required. I was always amazed how Monica could remember all the names of the members at the conference and would always enquire about their family and knew all their children by name. I found myself trying to do the same, but I must confess, I can’t hold a candle to her in that are

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