Eric Williams Committee honours four in Tobago

The Dr Eric Williams Memorial Committee has honoured four individuals for their contribution to the development of Tobago.

At a virtual memorial service on Tuesday at the Scarborough Methodist Church to commemorate the 59th anniversary of TT’s independence, awards were made to Bishop’s High School principal Cindy Ramnarine, retired school principal Barbara Phillips-Mills, management expert Stephen Rewan and retired banker and cadet leader Col Ellis Robinson.

But they were not present to accept their awards physically, owing to covid19 public health regulations.

Ramnarine received the Father of the Nation Medal of Honour (Gold) for her contribution to education, community and public service. Mills, a former principal of the Mt St George Methodist Primary School, was awarded the Father of the Nation Medal of Honour (Silver) in the sphere of education, religion and public service.

Rewan, who is also a deacon at the St David Anglican Church, Plymouth, was also awarded the Father of the Nation Medal of Honour (Silver) in the field of community and public service, as was Col Robinson for banking, youth development and community service.

In the past, Queen Elizabeth II, on the occasion of her golden jubilee, and late South African president and civil rights leader Nelson Mandela also received the Father of the Nation Medal of Honour Gold.

In his address, chairman of the committee Reginald Vidale asked the Government to have a portrait of Williams put in every school along with copies of the speech he delivered to schoolchildren at the Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, on the eve of Independence in August 1962.

Vidale said, “The children must out of necessity know who Dr Eric Eustace Williams was and what he means to the Republic of TT.”

He said he would also like the Prime Minister to embark on a meet-the-children tour so that children who live in rural areas can see and interact with him.

Referring to Williams’s address to the schoolchildren, in which he famously said, “You carry the future of the nation in your schoolbags,” Vidale also urged students to take the vaccine.

“Without good health, you cannot achieve academic excellence and I am sure if Dr Williams was still around he would have exercised his loving care for the children by asking them to take the vaccine. So, today (Tuesday), on behalf of the Father of the Nation, I take the liberty to ask every child to take the vaccine for the sake of your parents, teachers and scholastic career.”

Moderator of the Scarborough Methodist Church the Rev Janis Jack Watson officiated