A colourful tribute by dancing masqueraders at the graveside for popular Kittitian medical doctor, George Mario "Jaime" Astaphan on Tuesday as the Federation's Governor General's Deputy, His Honour Mr. Edmund Lawrence; St. Kitts and Nevis' Prime Minister, Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas, Deputy Governor of Nevis, His Honour Mr. Eustace John and Mrs. John and Cabinet ministers from the Federal and Nevis Island Administrations following the funeral service at the Co-Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, East Independence Square, Basseterre, St. Kitts.
Masqueraders dance around the floral grave in tribute to the sterling support that Dr. Astaphan, 60, had given to the folklore art form during his lifetime. Dancing to the traditional big drum music, the masqueraders each hugged Dr. Astaphan's mother, Josephine, kissed her and expressed their deepest sympathy before the large crowd which also included close friends, former patients, medical doctors, sportsmen, firemen, police, prison and security officers at the Springfield Cemetery.
"He loved Christmas sports, especially clown, bull and big drum, and he loved carnival, calypso and pan. Later on in life, he developed a great love of paintings, particularly the work of Kate Spencer," said his brother and Minister of National Security, Immigration, Justice and Labour, Hon. G.A.
Dwyer Astaphan, a lawyer by profession.
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| Dr. Astaphan's mother, Mrs. Josephine Astaphan is assisted in laying a wreath on her son's grave. |
"Speaking of Christmas, he loved the idea of Christmas gifts, and you might not be surprised to learn that as at last week Thursday, August 17th, he had already made arrangements to purchase the bulk of his Christmas gifts for family and friends," said Astaphan, who described his departed brother as "a talented and thinking sportsman, engaging in football (playing throughout his school and university careers in defensive and midfield positions) and tennis, being at one time half of the St. Kitts Mixed Doubles Champion Team.
He also loved fishing, cricket, boxing, horse racing, ice hockey (from his days in Canada) and track & field."
"Through sports and school, Jamie developed a number of deep, meaningful friendships. Some of his old school friends are in church today seeing him off, as they did before when Scratch Ward, Chickie Byron, Dawson Grey, Blues Caesar and Wallers Walwyn passed. And he kept in touch also with a number of his former classmates from his university days. He was a very loyal fellow.
Very loyal!" said Astaphan.
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| Masqueraders pay final tribute to Dr. Astaphan, who supported them and other local cultural art form over the years. |
He told hundreds of mourners, who packed the large church and the mounted tent in the Independence Square outside that "Jamie was not a good loser. He was tenacious, stubborn, questioning and strong-willed, like our mother is, although, and you may have noticed, they might have differed somewhat in style."
"It is from his schoolmates that he got the nickname "Doldrums" which was interesting, because his personality was anything but Doldrums-like," said Dwyer Astaphan, who added: "Jamie was a talker."
"Indeed, a few years ago, my son Jesse, also keenly aware of Jamie's talkative ways, told me one day: "Dad, I know how (US) President (George) Bush can capture Osama Bin Laden, you know!"
"And how is that?" I asked.
My son answered: "Dad, all Bush has to do is to get Uncle Jamie into a conversation with Osama, and sooner or later Osama's head will start spinning, he will go crazy, and he will give up himself." I can say with 100% certainty that Jamie loved people, especially ordinary folks, the salt-of-the-earth type of people. And they loved him too."
"I am talking about people whose wealth is in their hearts and souls, not their pockets. They flocked to him, as patients. Often what fees could not be paid, for want of money, were neither demanded nor paid. But a number of such persons still gave Jamie something, often or some fresh vegetables, fruits or some other kind of food, to show their appreciation and love,"
said Minister Astaphan.
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| St. Kitts and Nevis' Prime Ministerf, himself a medical practitioner, lays a wreath on behalf of the Government and People of the Federation. |
An amazing amount of people have come up to me over these past days to tell me how kind Jamie was to them, how he was their friend, their doctor, how he saved their lives, or that of their mother or child, and how he touched their lives so positively.
He was indeed a very popular doctor, and a very beloved man in this country.
His good deeds were many. Knowing this brings great comfort to our family.
Referring to the Ben Johnson affair, Dwyer Astaphan said: "His time in international sports medicine was made a hell for him and those whom he loved, faced as he was, with all of his ability, by a powerful, establishment built on greed, arrogance and hypocrisy."
"Back home after his international ordeals, and given a chance to start over, he got down to work, healing our people, caring for them, and saving lives.
He reconnected with his old friend, (Governor General) Dr. Sebastian, with whom he had done good work in St. Kitts & Nevis in the 1970's with our public health system.
He had a soft spot for the downtrodden and he nearly always had around him a person or persons who society might not look at in the most glowing terms.
What has caused shock and disbelief to the family, and perhaps to the nation, is simply part of God's daily routine.
The disbelief can be summed up in a little story.
Last Friday morning coming up to 9 o'clock, a female patient of his was outside his office on Church Street waiting for it to be opened, when a passerby told her that the doctor had passed away.
I am told that the lady said:
"Passed away? Ah! (Shaking her head in disbelief). I have an appointment with him this morning!"
Maybe the lady and the rest of us were in shock and disbelief, but God was simply working to His own Divine Plan, which we must never question. And so the Heavenly Father God called His son, Jamie, home as son Jamie slept at his home during the night of August 17th.
Before mass two days ago, a lady offered her condolences to me and said that Jamie was better off than us because he was now beyond the clutches of this "miserable world."He is relieved and safe, while we here continue to struggle with things material and mortal.
I can say to you today that all of us in our family are glad and thankful to God that He let us have Jamie for 60 years.
And, I humbly believe that our little nation is a better place for having had Jamie as one of its native sons.
Jamie would want us to remember him for his good deeds, for his humour and for his true love for his nation and its people. Not for anything sad.
Minister Astaphan said that two of Jamie's favourite songs sum it up: "St.
Kitts, I Love you" and "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina."
George Mario Sahely Chehin Astaphan, that's Jamie, was born on Wednesday, May 22nd, 1946, to Joseph and Josephine Astaphan, a young couple who operated their own business on Church Street. He attended Convent School, Grammar School, Sir George Williams University in Montreal, Canada (BSc
1967) and the University of Toronto. (MD 1971).
He died on August 18th at his home from a heart attack.
