In honour of community service . . . 12 receive Pride of Barbados awards

Twelve residents of St. Lucy who have made outstanding contributions to community life and to the improvement of economic and social conditions in the parish have been rewarded with the 2020 Pride of Barbados Award.

Eleven of them, including one who currently lives overseas, received their awards Wednesday evening during the Pride of Barbados Awards Ceremony at the Daryll Jordan Secondary School, Trents, St. Lucy.

Minister of Housing, Lands and Rural Development George Payne, who represented Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, congratulated the awardees on their achievements, saying they were accepting the legacy of great men and women in that constituency.

Mr Payne praised the Minister in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Maintenance Peter Phillips who is the Member of Parliament for St. Lucy and his team. He said they had done a remarkable job in making sure that St. Lucy was placed “on the map of excellence”, as they rolled out the activities in January for the We Gatherin’ initiative.

“What St. Lucy has done is that it has now set the barometer, and we know now what we have to do and I think it is to the credit of Peter [Phillips] and his team,” he stated.

Mr Payne also praised the Prime Minister for her vision and foresight in conceptualizing the We Gatherin’ initiative. He added that it was good to see people from the various parishes coming together.

Minister Phillips said St. Lucy has had a “highly successful” four weeks of activities. He told the awardees: “Your distinguished service to your community and country is well deserving. I congratulate you and urge you to keep making this selfless contribution. I urge others looking on to follow in your footsteps because there is nothing more honourable than to serve one’s country, one’s community.”

The Pride of Barbados Award is conferred on persons who reside or have resided in a parish in Barbados, and who have been nominated by citizens or permanent residents of Barbados living in the respective parish, or who now live outside of the country.

Those persons who were awarded the Pride of Barbados Awards for St. Lucy are:

Floyd Anderson Agard – for his dedicated service as a postman at the St. Lucy Post Office and his special assistance to the senior citizens in the community.

Hamilton Oliver Cumberbatch – for his yeoman service to scouting, in particular the Northern District Scout Council and the St. Lucy District Emergency Organisation.

Pedro Anderson Junior Cumberbatch – for his outstanding contribution to the Community Independence Celebrations and Education.

Shirley Virginia Cumberbatch – for her dedicated service as a newspaper vendor and her continuing assistance to two senior citizens in the community.

Vasco Welmar Greaves – for his contribution to gospel music as a singer and songwriter and his penning of the St. Lucy Anthem.

Juliet Yvonne Griffith – for her contribution as a small entrepreneur and business woman.

Anderson Leroy Rollock – for his outstanding contribution to the St. Lucy Parish Independence Committee and his work with young people.

Stephen Arnold Strickland – for his pastoral work, in particular, the Vacation Bible School Programme, as well as his work with football and backyard farming.

Manuel Colin Ward – for his outstanding service as owner of the Animal Flower Cave, providing work for members of the community and supporting small farmers.

Rupert Sidney Springer – for his long and sterling service to the community as a labourer and proprietor of a village shop. He is 103 years old.

Andrew Nathaniel Campbell – for his contribution to church activity and continuing financial support for a number of community projects.

Robin Antonio Lennox Knight – for his contribution to the entertainment industry and as a community organizer. (BGIS)