Ten distinguished residents of St. Lucy have be recognized for their exceptional service to community life, making them the first recipients of the We Gatherin’ 2025 Honours List.

The honorees, celebrated for their dedication across various sectors of society, were presented with commemorative pins during a ceremony at State House on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley commended the awardees for their unwavering commitment to improving the lives of their fellow parishioners. “Those of you here today represent individuals who, for decades and across different communities, have enriched the lives of others in St. Lucy,” she stated. “Because you have been nominated by your peers and parishioners, we are here to say thank you for your efforts.”

She further emphasized that many of the recipients had contributed selflessly, never expecting recognition. “When you were out in the fields or working with young people, no one was thinking about a reward. But as a nation and as a community, we have a duty to pause and express our gratitude.”

Among the awardees was Trevor Boyce, honored for his dedication to enhancing sporting infrastructure, particularly cricket, in St. Lucy. For the past 32 years, he has served as curator of the parish’s Lord’s Cricket Ground. A man unaccustomed to the spotlight, Boyce expressed his appreciation: “I feel deeply honored. While I don’t seek recognition, I am grateful to be here today.”

Fiona Griffith, known for her long-standing efforts in education, sports, and youth development, was also recognized. She encouraged Barbadians to take an active role in their communities. “I am a community person—I do a lot of work in St. Lucy and across Barbados. I was pleasantly surprised by this recognition, and I give thanks to God. I encourage more people to give back; it’s important, fulfilling, and shows that we care.”

Lyman Phillips, who was acknowledged for his outstanding service in healthcare, community leadership, and mental health advocacy over four decades, reflected on his deep connection to St. Lucy. “I am incredibly proud to receive this award. Having lived here for the past 51 years, I have been actively involved in the community. St. Lucy is a beautiful parish, and I hope to see more people engaging in community initiatives to keep our programs thriving.”

The We Gatherin’ 2025 Honours List aims to recognize those who have made significant contributions to their parishes, fostering a spirit of community and national pride.

The cupboards of the One Family program, an initiative of the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, will be stocked with plenty of fresh bread for 2025.

One Family recently welcomed Purity Bakeries onto the programme’s growing extended support structure, with Purity committing to donating 100 loaves of freshly baked bread every two weeks for six months. 

One Family Project Manager Nicole Daniel said the gesture was doubly appreciated as a tangible contribution to the well-being of vulnerable families and for reinforcing the One Family strategy of transformation through cooperative effort. 

Purity’s Head of Sales, Distribution and Marketing, Ms. Angela Haynes, said the Company was pleased to play its part as an extended member of One Family. “We are delighted to contribute to the One Family effort, as freshly baked bread is an essential grocery item for Barbadian families and children who have just resumed the new school year,” Ms. Haynes stated.

CAPTION: Roseanne Keizer, Senior Family Empowerment Officer with the One Family Programme, is assisted by Mrs. Shemim Belgrave Greene, Marketing Coordinator, in collecting another 100 fresh loaves of bread from Purity Bakeries.

Ensuring fair, efficient and sustainable remuneration systems is pivotal to maintaining the integrity of the international postal network and safeguarding equitable partnerships among all stakeholders.

Postmaster General of the Barbados Postal Service (BPS), Joann Busby, expressed this view at this morning’s opening ceremony of a two-day Regional Remuneration roundtable and workshop, in the General Post Office’s conference room, Cheapside, St. Michael.

“The topic of remuneration is particularly timely and relevant. The global postal landscape, as we all know, is undergoing profound transformation. The rapid growth of e-commerce, advancements in digital communication and shifting customer expectations have created opportunities and challenges in equal measure,” Ms. Busby stated.

The Postmaster General told participants that the Barbados Postal Service was proud of its legacy of more than 170 years of service to the people of Barbados, and of its achievements.

“We have evolved with the times, adapting to technological advancements and the changing needs of our customers. However, as with all postal administrations, we recognise the importance of staying ahead in a dynamic global environment. The remuneration framework, which underpins international mail exchanges, is a cornerstone of this effort, enabling us to maintain quality service delivery and strengthen our partnerships,” she shared.

 Ms. Busby explained that as part of the workshop, participants will engage in critical discussions, share insights and explore solutions to address remuneration challenges. She added that these deliberations were not just technical exercises but represented a collective investment in the future of the global postal system.

“They are about ensuring that every member country, regardless of size or economic standing, can contribute to and benefit from a fair and sustainable postal network. I encourage all participants to approach this roundtable with open minds, a spirit of collaboration and a shared determination to make meaningful progress,” she told the attendees.

The Postmaster General stated that the presence of the regional participants underscored the significance of this event and the region’s collective commitment to shaping the future of global postal services.

She encouraged the audience to listen to each other, learn from their diverse experiences and work towards actionable outcomes.

Director of Postal Policy, Planning and Regulation with the Universal Postal Union, Altamir Linhares, hailed the workshop as “an important milestone”. 

“This is an important milestone in the process of bringing countries together and achieving a compromise on proposals that have been shaped through a work cycle of almost four years now. These proposals have been devised based on the results of several studies presented, discussed and negotiated at each and every meeting of the Remuneration Integration Group, as well as at the meetings of the committees too of both the POC [Postal Operations Council] and the CA [Council of Administration],” he outlined. Remuneration Vital To Sustainability Of Postal Services