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Centenarian Seibert Lewis Hailed As A Man Of God

Surrounded by family and some of his closest friends, Mr. Seibert Lewis beamed with gratitude as he saw the several well-wishers who had come to the Accra Beach Hotel, Christ Church, to celebrate his 100^th birthday, on August 21.

Acting President, The Very Reverend Dr. Jeffery Gibson was one of the centenarian’s specially invited guests.

Upon his arrival, he remarked, “Let me take this opportunity to express and add my own personal congratulations to you on reaching this significant milestone. One hundred years of life is really a great cause for celebration, and you’re surrounded by members of your family and certain friends who have come to share that great moment with you and to let you know how much, not only we celebrate the 100 years, but how much they love you.”

In response to His Excellency’s inquiry as to what it was like to live to 100, the centenarian replied, “In the grace of God, I am very happy to know that I am alive to reach 100 years old, and to me and my family, and my children, grandchildren and great grands, we all make one bond.”

*Acting President of Barbados, The Very Reverend Dr. Jeffery Gibson, congratulates Seibert Lewis on celebrating his 100th birthday. In the background, Acting ADC Lieutenant Ramar Haynes looks on*.

Mr. Roger Scott, in his tribute to the centenarian, whom he affectionally calls ‘Papa Lou’, stressed Mr. Lewis is like a father to him and “a man of God first and foremost”. Mr. Scott also noted that the centenarian’s life “is truly an example of the characteristics of a Godly man – faithful, committed, loyal, hardworking, reliant on God and strong in faith”.

“He has provided me with immeasurable support and love over these last 20 years; he has been a blessing to me and my family,” added Mr. Scott.

Reverend Anderson Carrington of the Wesleyan Holiness Church, Black Rock, shared that Mr. Lewis is a “very faithful member of the Church’. Acknowledging that he appreciated the centenarian “very much for his loyalty” he noted that “almost every Sunday we can look down the congregation and we are going to see Brother Lewis….”

The Reverend also disclosed that the centenarian was instrumental in overseeing much-needed construction work at the Black Rock Wesleyan Holiness Church. “…At 80 years old, he was walking across that roof, sometimes to my nervousness. Brother Lewis, I appreciate you for that,” stressed Mr. Carrington.

The Reverend further noted that Mr. Lewis leveraged his contacts and brought together the right people at the right time. He said, “He (Mr. Lewis) contacted everybody; he brought everybody together so that when we submitted the plans to Town and Country Planning, everything in detail was right. And we give God thanks for you my brother…may God continue to strengthen you on this, your 100^th birthday”.

Mr. Lewis, who was educated at St. Jude’s Primary School, St. George, was self-employed for most of his life. His career path saw him running his own restaurant, marketing fruit and vegetables as well as involved in the construction industry. In the 1970’s, he emigrated to St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, and upon retirement at age 65 (in 1989), returned home.

The centenarian, a widower, was married to Lucille Lewis and has seven children, 30 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. Loretta Payne (93) is the centenarian’s only living sibling.

Mr. Lewis lives in Free Hill, Black Rock and while he has a caretaker, the centenarian demonstrates a great deal of independence and according to him, eats “whatever the Lord allows…”

The Very Reverend Dr. Jeffrey Gibson presented Mr. Lewis with a fruit basket, a bottle of non-alcoholic wine and a personalised card. As they both read the card together, the Acting President told the centenarian: ‘Family is the most important unit in life. I am glad you are surrounded by a wonderful family and so congratulations again.” (PR/GIS)

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SPECIAL POLLING DAY NOTICE

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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.

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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