Former diplomat dies

A retired Barbadian who served his country at home and abroad for more than four decades has died.

Orlando Marville, a respected diplomat, educator, senator and author passed away at the weekend at the age of 83.

Marville, who built a reputation as an outstanding teacher, honed his skills abroad in classrooms in Britain, Europe and as far as Africa before returning home to share his talent.

Ever a proud son of Barbados, the lure of representing his country abroad pulled him away from his students and he ventured into the foreign service in 1973, serving in the Embassy in Washington, D.C. and in the Permanent Mission of Barbados to the United Nations in New York. In 1984, Ambassador Marville served as Charge d’ Affairs in the Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela; and, in 1987, he was appointed Ambassador to the European Union, a position which he held for eight years.

Marville, a passionate believer in regional integration, was appointed Assistant Secretary General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) from 1995 to 1999. Some of his notable achievements include serving as the chief negotiator for Haiti’s entry into the regional grouping.

The career diplomat was rewarded by the Barbados Government for his outstanding work. In 2012, he was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his contribution to the foreign service, and three years ago he received the Companion of Honour of Barbados for his contribution to the public service.

The former ambassador has chronicled his distinguished career and experiences in his memoir, Being Me. He has also penned The Prissy Princess and Other Adult Fairy Tales, and Spiders Don’t Fly. (SD)