Local

Centenarian Hailed As Industrious & Independent Woman

One of Barbados’ newest centenarians, Enid Violet Niles, celebrated her birthday on Thursday, February 22, with family, friends, and members of the New Testament Church of God, Rock Hall, St. Andrew, at the St. Michael District Hospital, Beckles Road, St. Michael.

President of Barbados, Her Excellency The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason, paid a visit via Zoom.

One of Mrs. Niles’ cousins, David Briggs, in his tribute, remarked: “She was always a feisty lady, a hard worker, an industrious woman…. As a labourer, she also kept stock. She loved cows…. She loved her animals…. When it came to even selling or killing the cows that money went to the upkeep of the house.”

Mr. Briggs added: “She had land she worked; she used the fork and worked. She planted canes; she planted bananas, and she was a hawker…. That kept her busy, that kept her independent. She…always was independent, hardworking, and born to never allow her situations to keep her down.”

Raised in Rock Hall, St. Andrew, Mrs. Niles attended the Indian Ground Primary School (now All Saints Primary School), after which she embraced her love of the land and made a career out it.

She worked as a labourer at Rock Hall Plantation, St. Peter, and at Springhead Plantation, St. James. This was in addition to having her own farm and selling those products in Bridgetown and in Eagle Hall, St. Michael.

The centenarian, now a widow, married Stephen Niles in 1958. She had two daughters, both of whom passed away at an early age. Mrs. Niles raised her niece, Joycelyn Scantlebury (now deceased) and David Briggs.

She loved to cook and did so while in a wheelchair, until she became a resident of the St. Michael District Hospital in her 90s, due to health concerns. She enjoys eating ground provisions, corn meal cou cou with any meat, pigtail, and rice with gravy.

The centenarian sings Pentecostal hymns from memory throughout the day, often leading others in song. She sang ‘Revive us again (Thine be the Glory)’ during the celebration.

One congregant, Angie Bayley, noted that as a young person she would spend many hours with Mrs. Niles, who would always give her some “good advice”. She continued: “And, one thing I would remember and take with me throughout my life, she would always say ‘delay isn’t laziness; your time will come’….”

On behalf of Her Excellency, Mrs. Niles was presented with a bouquet of flowers, a bottle of non-alcoholic wine, and a personalised card, to which she said, “Praise God!”

In her closing remarks, Her Excellency commented: “I want to say thank you to all of you who have had the care and attention of Mrs. Niles over the years, whether it is Rock Hall in St. Andrew or here at the District Hospital…. I never get tired of saying we are eternally grateful to persons like her who have brought us along on their shoulders. I just want you to continue to care for her because you will be justly rewarded, and thanks to everybody for allowing me to be a part of this historic occasion.” (PR/GIS)

Caption: Barbados’ newest centenarian, Enid Violet Niles, celebrating her birthday with a sip of champagne, assisted by cousin David Briggs

Local

SPECIAL POLLING DAY NOTICE

Local

FundAccess To Host Legal Clinic Workshop from May 13th

Entrepreneurs will soon get another opportunity to learn about critical legal matters that are key to the operation of their businesses.

FundAccess will be hosting The Legal Clinic Workshop, which will commence on Tuesday, May 13, and continue each Tuesday, until May 27, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The workshop will be facilitated by Attorney-at-law Ondene Kirton and participants will discuss Understanding Business Legal Structures; Contracts & Agreements; Employment Law & Compliance; and Examination of the Various Laws Relating to Small Business.

During those sessions, the participants will be exposed to sole proprietorship, partnerships, corporations – pro and cons; how to choose the right legal structure for a business; the importance of contracts in business operations; avoiding common contract pitfalls; and employee rights & employer responsibilities, among others. Some of the pieces of legislation to be examined include the Employment Rights Act and National Insurance and Social Security Act.

Interested persons may attend the workshop in person at FundAccess’ Pinfold Street, Bridgetown location, or online via the Zoom Platform. To register, click on the following link: https://bit.ly/3Fu09Jv.

Local

Centenarian Built On Firm Foundation Set By Grandmother

“Trust God first” is the mantra of one of Barbados’ newest centenarians, Athelstan Browne, who celebrated his 100th birthday on April 29, 2025, at his home in Montrose, Christ Church, surrounded by family and friends.

One of his specially invited guests was President of Barbados, Her Excellency, The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason.

Mr. Browne shared that he grew up “not knowing a mummy” as his mother passed away at age 23, when he was two years old, and his brother was only one year old.

Crediting his grandmother for his upbringing, Mr. Brown remarked: “I had a real good, good grandmother that raised two of us, and everything we learn before we went to school, she taught us.”

Pointing to a humble yet deeply religious upbringing, Mr. Browne said: “I and my brother slept on the floor. Our grandmother spread things down there, and she just put the pillow under our head.”

He recalled that they had to sing the hymn “Under the Blood” before going to bed, and first thing in the morning before they had breakfast, which usually consisted of “a cup of tea and two biscuits”. Adding that the hymn was “our song”, Mr. Browne sang the hymn from memory.

Stressing that his grandmother was a great provider, he noted: “My grandmother had land, and she would work the land…. We would eat raw potato, raw okras, (green) peas, cucumbers…. The only thing we did not eat was raw yams and eddoes.”

Mr. Browne continues to enjoy his ground provisions “with a little rice”, as he likes his rice with green peas, and if available, chicken boiled with the rice. “I am a fish man,” he remarked, eating it either fried or with a “stew sauce”.

Continuing to nurture his Christian beliefs, he joined the Mount Ararat United Holy Church (currently in Dayrell’s Road, Christ Church) in 1967, at age 33, and has continued there ever since.

Once the Superintendent of the Sunday School at the church, Mr. Browne is still instrumental in providing leadership to the youth there. “I have a crowd of young people at church that love me…especially when I have to talk to them…. It is what they should hear and what they should have,” he said.

The centenarian was raised in Montrose, Christ Church, and attended the Christ Church Boys’ School (now Milton Lynch Primary School). After leaving school, Mr. Browne initially took to agriculture but then worked cutting soft stone in two quarries in Christ Church.

In 1947, at the age of 22, he decided to join the US Farm Labour Programme and took the first Pan American Airlines flight out of Barbados. Over 10 years later, Mr. Browne returned to Barbados and married Monica Browne (deceased). Together, they built the house where he currently resides.

Returning to his roots in agriculture, the centenarian worked at the Ridge Plantation, Christ Church, until retirement. He also planted and reaped ground produce at home, as well as planted and cut canes.

Mr. Browne, who is generally in good health and has a sharp memory, still works around the home and enjoys reading, which he does without glasses. He also keeps in touch with his family in New York and North Carolina, and will do some travelling, but he is always ready to return home.

After toasting the centenarian, Her Excellency remarked: “You are in the midst of a lot of love, and I am sure you are going to enjoy the rest of your birthday. I am really happy to have met you. I am grateful for the work that you still continue to do with our young people because a lot of them lack direction, and we, nowadays, don’t take enough time to sit down and speak with them…. We don’t remind them that they are important, that they are somebody.”

Mr. Browne responded: “You got to make them understand what … the Lord expects of them… We have to acknowledge the Lord.”

Mr. Browne has two children, 10 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. (PR/GIS)

Caption: President of Barbados, Her Excellency, The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason, and Barbados’ newest centenarian Athelstan Browne take a walk outside during his birthday celebrations in Montrose, Christ Church