A century for Aubrey – continuing to enjoy this beautiful journey

By Kaelanne Jordan

mediarelations.camsel@catholictt.org

The atmosphere in La Puerta, Diego Martin was filled with joy as Aubrey Lee Yuen celebrated a remarkable milestone: his 100th birthday, September 12. The intimate gathering of immediate family served not only as a tribute to a century of life but also as a testament to a spirit that has remained undiminished by time.

In an interview with The Catholic News the following day, his son, Ian shared that longevity runs in the family. “My father comes from a lineage of long livers,” he explained. “His mother lived to 100; one of his brothers reached 100; and an aunt made it to 102.”

Aubrey’s perspective on his life has evolved, “The way I’m living now at 100 is ten times better than how I was living at 95.” He emphasised the importance of diet, attributing his health to a strict regimen free of fast foods, processed and fried foods. “Food must be your medicine,” he said.

Despite his milestone, Aubrey preferred to keep things low-key. “I didn’t want much publicity,” he said, noting that he deliberately did not inform the government about his 100th.

On September 12, he expressed gratitude to his family who “kept me going all these years”. “Without their love and support, I’d probably be gone by now. You’ve truly been the wind in my sails,” he said in his birthday speech.

Determination to succeed

Aubrey is a father of three—Betty, Ian, and Wendy—grandfather to nine, and great-grandfather to 11.

Born September 12, 1924, Aubrey grew up in poverty in barracks on Duncan Street, Port of Spain. He was the youngest of five boys raised by a single mother from Demerara, Guyana, then British Guiana. His father, a Chinese immigrant, passed away from pneumonia when Aubrey was just five months old. Three of Aubrey’s brothers were sent to China for education, as was customary at the time. “He felt the education in China was better than Trinidad,” Aubrey recalled.

In a time when women did not typically provide for families, Aubrey’s mother struggled to make ends meet.

Despite these challenges, Aubrey’s determination drove him toward education and a better life. He fondly recalled his schooling at Nelson Street Boys’ RC and St Mary’s College, where he earned scholarships.

Although financial constraints prevented him from studying abroad, he excelled in Trinidad, ultimately working as a lab technician.

He recalled the arrival of the American military in Trinidad in 1943 and how their interactions with local women led to the spread of venereal diseases. The American soldiers requested permission from the British government, which controlled Trinidad at the time, to establish a medical clinic in Port of Spain. The request was granted, and around 1944, the Caribbean Medical Centre was set up on Ariapita Avenue.

Initially staffed with a pathologist, two nurses, and other personnel, the clinic soon began employing locals. At that time, Aubrey was considering a career in bookkeeping but decided to apply for a position as a lab technician instead. He worked there until 1978, completing 35 years of service by the time he was 53 years old.

When he retired, many assumed he would open a private lab, but at that time, private labs were non-existent with only government labs in operation. Instead, he ventured into a new business: breeding fish for pet shops. He had always dreamed of building an aquarium. “I knew about lab technology, but I didn’t know anything about glass,” he joked.

Aubrey initially approached a local glass company but was frustrated with the inconsistent dimensions of the glass cuts he received. “Every time I asked for 12 inches, I’d get 12 and an eighth, 12 minus an eighth, or 12 plus a sixteenth. I just wanted 12 inches,” he recounted with a chuckle.

Determined to get it right, he soon learned how to cut glass himself. Along with his son, he became one of the top glass cutters in Trinidad. They started building aquariums, a passion that began well before his retirement.

Aubrey bought glass from Caribbean Glass and began with small projects, including a simple glass case. One of his first clients was an agent for Timex watches, who needed glass display cases for their timepieces. “When we delivered the first case, it had no blind spots and everything looked perfect. My only concern was whether it would hold up,” he laughed.

The company soon placed an order for six more cases. Cadbury (formerly Cadbury’s) also became a client. Aubrey humorously noted, “Chocolate sold better than watches.”

When the shopping malls started coming in, the demand for all-glass display cases “went through the roof.”

In 1985, things went “bad in Trinidad”. Stores were shutting down, he had excess display cases and he shut down the business. In the 90s, Aubrey ventured into glass etching, which proved even more lucrative than the all-glass display cases and he continues to operate this business today.

When his wife Cicely passed away, her death “profoundly” affected him.

Reflecting on his own mortality, Aubrey has often said that when his time comes, he wants to “die with my boots on”.

A changing Trinidad

On Trinidad and Tobago’s transition to a Republic, Aubrey described it as a “smooth transition”. He noted that the British were “eager” to relinquish their colonies.

He recalled that while T&T had already gained adult suffrage, Eric Williams was leading the country and had introduced party politics, changes that improved our governance.

Aubrey explained T&T no longer had a colonial secretary, and Williams introduced a new constitution. By 1970, Williams recognised the need to address the imbalance of power, particularly the dominance of white individuals in top positions. He, according to Aubrey, made strides in creating opportunities for Black citizens, even within the banking sector, which had been unheard of before.

Aubrey also spoke about the need for further constitutional reform. “We’ve made significant progress, but there’s still work to be done,” he said. He expressed his hopes for a new constitution for Trinidad and Tobago, noting the election requirements can be quite lax—”if you get 10,000 votes, you could become a Minister of Parliament, regardless of your qualifications.”

He recounted Williams’ frustrations with the system and his efforts to reform it. Williams initially sought to appoint members directly to the Senate and then to ministerial positions. Over time, he sought to expand this power to appoint more than one person.

Aubrey expressed admiration for the American system, despite acknowledging its flaws. He explained, the President can appoint anyone to his government, and the House carefully approves each candidate. If someone is unsuitable, they ask for a replacement until the right fit is found.

As he celebrated his 100th, Aubrey was already looking ahead to 2025. His son Ian revealed plans for a family cruise in January 2025.

Aubrey, having already enjoyed more than 20 cruises, is eager for the next adventure. His outlook is simple: as long as he has the strength, the health, and the loving company of family and friends, “why not keep enjoying this beautiful journey?”