MP pays tribute to nation builders

Recipients of the new national award can be identified as community mentors and role models for our island’s youth.

This suggestion came from Minister of People Empowerment and Elderly Affairs Cynthia Forde who also said that there were countless unsung heroes and heroines across Barbados who needed to be recognised.

Forde, who was speaking during the Award of Pride of Barbados Bill 2019 debate in the House of Assembly today, said positive influencers are needed now more than ever.

“I know thousands of Barbadians who live here and abroad who have done wonderful things and they did not do it because they wanted to have any accolades or anything conferred on the. They did it because that was the genuine way that they would have been taught and because of the goodness of their hearts….”

The MP for St Thomas asked the Speaker for permission to call names as she spoke about the contribution of many who helped to shape her constituency.

“Ms Esther Collymore now deceased, delivered every baby in Welchman Hall, Carrington’s Village, Proute, that is somebody if she were alive I would want to give her name in first… Nurse Alena Gibbs, who served as the president of the Gordon Cummins Hospital, and also worked in the Moravian Church and in the community. We give and give and give because we acknowledge there are others who came before who gave to us without looking back for anything in return.”

Forde also paid tribute to others who have given consistent service to the community including Hazel Francis from St Thomas along with Peggy Antrobus, former primary school principal Ruth Trotman, girl guider Gloria Forde, Jean Alleyne and Goldie Spieler of (Earthworks Pottery) who she said delivered their service with pride.

The MP also named poet Aja Adisa Andwele from Rock Hall, St Thomas, and entomologist Ian Gibbs among those worthy of national recognition.

“Those are the people in our community that require acknowledgement that other young people can look on and know you don’t need the biggest PHD or degree to impact positively.”