BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - WITH full military honours, the mortal remains of the Federation’s first Governor-General, His Excellency Sir Clement Athelston Arrindell, was yesterday (Apr. 7) laid to rest at the Springfield Cemetery following a service at the Basseterre Wesley Methodist Church.
The State service began with a tribute given by the nation’s first Prime Minister, Sir Kennedy Simmonds, while the Epistle was delivered by Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas and Deputy Prime Minister Sam Condor presented the Scripture reading.
Reflecting on the life of the late Sir Clement Arrindell was Dr. Joseph S. Archibald, a distinguished legal luminary residing in the British Virgin Islands, who, before the large congregation, laid five attributes and experiences that made Sir Clement the man he was.
“First, Humility. His parents Mr. George Arrindell and Mrs. Hilda Arrindell, both of Nevis birth, like my own parents, were humble, disciplined, church-going persons, who brought up their eight children in the fear of God. Young Clement, the third child, first attended a private school and thereafter the Basseterre Boys’ School next door to this Wesley Methodist Church. He enjoyed worship and Sunday-school with his family in this church, and was a member of the Boys Brigade. He participated in the usual sports of cricket, football and athletics with other boys, and excelled as a wicket-keeper. Within his family he learnt the virtues of self-respect and respect for others,” Archibald said.
In the second attribute, Archibald reflected on Sir Clement’s school days and his strive for excellence throughout that period.
“It was from my Third Standard class at the western part of the school that I first saw Clement Arrindell as the smallest and youngest boy sitting in the front row of the Seventh Standard. He was often raising his hand to demonstrate that he knew the answers to the questions from Mr. Beach. I admired young Clement greatly and in our talks I learnt from him the word ‘scholarship’. He said he wanted to win a scholarship to attend the St. Kitts-Nevis Grammar School, and in due course he did so in competition against the best students under the age of thirteen years throughout St. Kitts-Nevis and Anguilla. At the Grammar School, which I later attended, also on scholarship, Clement excelled as a Latin scholar and a wizard in the works of Shakespeare. He was very proud of the School’s Latin Motto ‘Principia Non Homines’ (Principles, Not Men). In due course he achieved the highest certificate then attainable at the Grammar School Fifth Form - that is the Senior Cambridge University School Certificate in 1949 - and entered the Civil Service of St. Kitts-Nevis Anguilla as a Junior Clerk,” Archibald said.
The third and fourth attributes laid before the congregation were professional competence at the Bar and Judicial eminence and integrity, in which Archibald gave details about Arrindell’s professional career in the legal field.
The final attribute cited was virtue. Archibald said that Sir Clement’s status as Governor elevated him to the rank of knighthood and, by virtue of merit, he was accorded the rank of Queen’s Counsel - one of Her Majesty’s Counsels learned in the law.
He said destiny is what blessed Sir Clement Arrindell with the opportunity of a test-run as Governor in final preparation for his excellent role as Governor-General.
“I have recounted these five attributes and experiences of Sir Clement Arrindell, partially with a view to identifying for young citizens of this nation the disciplined, thoughtful steps which led Sir Clement from his boyhood to the pinnacle of universal respect, so that they themselves might be encouraged and inspired in their aim to succeed and to excel in the service of their country and in the wider Caribbean and in the world at large,” said Archibald.
His Excellency Sir Clement Arrindell passed away March 27, at the age of 79.
