Profile
- JEROME D'SILVA
Jerome D'Silva was born in Karachi, Pakistan in 1923. He obtained his BA
from DJ Arts College and completed one year of law at Sahni Law School.
In 1952 he briefly got involved politically as a Municipal Alderman.
However, his primary occupation was a company that he and his partner
started in 1947, the Hussain D'Silva Construction Company. The firm,
which became one of the largest developers in Pakistan, was fully
integrated and included property brokerage, land acquisition and
development, leasing and operations.
The developments included a major shopping centre, a complex of 430
condominiums, over 50 farms, and a township with 500 bungalows, which is
named Hussain-D'Silva after the two partners. He was also responsible
for financing and starting The East and West Savings and Loan
Association to finance house purchases in his residential developments;
at the time it was the only savings and loans association in Karachi.
The two partners also owned Hussain-D'Silva Films Ltd., which produced
several full-length movies in Urdu, the most well-known being Bara
Adhimi (Big Man), which won the Nigar Award in Pakistan.
In spite of his success, Jerome decided to immigrate to Canada in 1974.
He believed that the politically instability in Pakistan at the time
would make it difficult for the future of his family. In Toronto, he and
his brother formed a company Steward Provisions Ltd., under which they
owned and operated The Sea Shanty Restaurant and Tavern in Brampton, St.
Catherine’s and downtown Toronto.
Jerome has been a strong supporter of the Goan community. In Pakistan he
supported the Karachi Goan Association by making his office home to many
of its Committee meetings. He also involved himself in community affairs
by sponsoring a hockey team for the town built by his company; the team
won the Cabral Shield Tournament among others. In Toronto he is a
regular at meeting of the Goan Overseas Association and the Can-Orient.
In 1989 he decided to sell his interests in the company and concentrate
on his grandchildren. Through all his achievements Jerome considers his
greatest accomplishment to be marrying the KGA May Queen of 1952, his
wife Yvette. They have eight children Lynette, Ashley, Naomi, Aureen,
Desmond, Elena, Rodney and Keith, and twelve grandchildren.
(Contributed by Jack Fernandes
jack.fernandes@aku.edu )
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