Pride Of Barbados Awards Symbol Of Community Spirit

As the parish of St. Michael culminates the ‘We Gatherin’ parish celebrations, Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley believes that the Barbadian people who ‘live and breathe resilience’, have exemplified the true meaning of community spirit.

The Prime Minister made these remarks yesterday morning, after 25 individuals were acknowledged as honourees during a ceremony at State House, with 23 receiving their Pride of Barbados insignia from the President of Barbados, Her Excellency, The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason.

Recipients of the Pride of Barbados insignia were: Eric Alleyne, Hayden Arthur, Carl Austin, Sonja Banfield, Horace Bayley, Pauline Bellamy, Sharon Bellamy-Thompson, Fernando Best, Kyrie Bethune, Jasper Blades, Leon Blades, Carol Bourne, Jefferson Bovell, Jamanni Brathwaite, Beryl Bridgeman, Monica Burnett-Hendricks, Antoinette Chandler, Leroy Clarke, Sandra Clarke, Terry Clarke, Andrew Connell, Carlton Cordle, Adrian Craigwell.  Absent were: Aaliyah Alleyne and Joan Best.

Former Assistant Superintendent in The Barbados Police Service, Leon Blades, who gave 45 years of yeoman service to that organisation, said that his knowledge base has increased in different aspects of community service.

 “I like the community work…helping young people to improve themselves, through dance, to teaching everyone safety through any community work, even public speaking.

“This award ceremony encapsulates what I’ve been doing…I’m surprised. I think that there’s this beauty in helping young people to see themselves,” he said.

Internationally acclaimed artiste, Carlton ‘Biggie Irie’ Cordle, who was recognised for his exceptional contribution to Barbadian music and culture, said that he was “humbled, honoured and happy” to receive his award.

His encouragement to other artistes was: “Just keep doing good things, keep recording good music. Make sure that you are a good person. Just keep doing well and you will be rewarded greatly.”

Another St. Michael stalwart, Secretary Treasurer of the Rehabilitating, Enabling Society for Amputees (RESA), Antoinette Chandler, expressed shock at being recognised for her advocacy and mentorship, specifically for persons living with limb loss. “I am elated. It was a very big surprise. Our aim is to get fellow amputees back into the way of doing things,” she explained.

Ms. Chandler issued a call to corporate Barbados to invest in RESA. “We are trying to get funds to have transportation, so corporate Barbados, we need you to come on board, adopt us. We are a growing organisation, and we need the push,” she stated. 

As St. Michael celebrates with marquee events this month, Prime Minister Mottley is hopeful that persons within the parish will incorporate moments of introspection, which she referred to as ‘reasoning and reflections’, and plans to engage with those across the parish, especially the youth.

“I look forward to engagement, because this is a time to listen and this is a time to engage and build on purpose.

“So that my singular role and purpose is to be able to see how I can bring people together always, and to allow us to be able to see what would come from that… rebuilding communities, strengthening families and, of course, strengthening the country.”

Ms. Mottley added that the month of December will see ‘We Gatherin’ in the whole country, as Barbados sojourns towards its 60th year, with an emphasis on national unity encapsulating the spirits of every parish. “December, must be ‘We Gatherin Barbados’,” she asserted. (PR/GIS)