Independence Day Honours

Hey, peoples! Last night we saw a departure from the usual Independence parade activities, in that instead of an early morning parade at the Garrison Savannah on Independence Day, the parade was held last night and the Independence Honours revealed at midnight.

The event was a reenactment of the first Independence in 1966, and I'm sure it was deja vu for a lot of the older generation...it even rained like that night 42 years ago! It was a fantastic event though - the cultural pieces, the tattoo with the mounted police, the fireworks. Well done, event planners.

This new DLP administration seems to like making these types of occasions people-centred, and so far I've noticed that two events that would normally be for a chosen few (the swearing in of the Cabinet and the ecumenical service held the week before Independence) were open to the public. Good going, DLP.

That 'people-centred' nature was also reflected in the list of Independence Honourees, in that people who could be considered grassroots received top national honours. A lot of 'ordinary' Bajans received awards. Here's the list:

Knight of St. Andrew - retired life insurance executive Marcus Jordan

Companion of Honour of Barbados - retired parliamentarian and women's advocate, Maizie Barker-Welch

Gold Crown of Merit - Entertainer Richard Stoute (at last!)
Cardiologist Dr. Richard Ishmael
Educator Olivier Cox (Metropolitan School)
Managing Director of Jordan's Supermarket Audley Jordan

Silver Crown of Merit -
Deputy Chief Commissioner of the Barbados Boys Scouts Association Lt. Col Vere Springer
Emergency Management Consultant Dr. Brian Charles
Manager of Business Development, Barbados Public Workers Cooperative Credit Union Keith Bourne
Retired yacht captain and boat owner Owen Burke

Barbados Service Star - Stanton Parris
Rawle Clarke (organiser of Senior Games)
Jean Lovell
Valrie Pilgrim
Gerald Hunte

Barbados Service Medal - Linda Waithe
John Haynes (active in community disaster planning)

Bravery Medal - Island Safari tour guide Ruel Stanford. Earlier this year he courageously assisted a group of tourists from falling victim to highway bandits.


Photo: Barbados Advocate