Birthday celebrant Mrs. Eula Liburd addressing family and friends, Minister Carlisle Powell listening in the backdrop
CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (May 06, 2008) – Government Ministers, family and friends were well-wishers on hand at the Charlestown Methodist Conference Center, to celebrate one of Nevis’ senior citizen’s milestones. Offspring of birthday celebrant Ms. Eula Liburd from Happy Hill Alley, Charlestown, threw a party in her honor on Thursday, May 05, to celebrate her 80th Birthday.
Entertainment included steel pan performances, solo renditions and tributes made to Mrs. Liburd by family friends, her grandchildren and great-grand child.
A number of speeches were made by Minister with responsibility for Social Transformation in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) Hon. Hensley Daniel, Area Representative Hon. Robelto Hector and Ms. Christine Springette who spoke on behalf of Premier of Nevis Hon. Joseph Parry.
Mr. Daniel’s congratulatory remarks to Mrs. Liburd highlighted the fulfillment of her maternal obligations to her children and other people’s children. He also reflected on the NRP-led NIA policy for its older adults.
“Mrs. Liburd, I came to say congratulations. Since we [the NIA] came to office in 2006, I have been going around the island and celebrating the birthdays of senior citizens. You have raised your children and other people’s children. You have fulfilled your calling and you have given a strict account of your life on earth. We want to thank you for helping to guide these children,” Mr. Daniel articulated.
Mrs. Eula Liburd surrounded by her family
Area Representative Mr. Hector reminisced about conversations he had with the Birthday Celebrant during his adolescent years. He also reflected on the protective role adults played in the community during that era.
“I want to say Happy Birthday to the Birthday Girl. I remember having conversations with her and she would say to me, ‘young man, stop wasting time. Go home to your mother and your father and take this bag of nuts’. But you see at that time, we operated as a community. We were watched by so many persons,” Mr. Hector said.
Junior Minister in the NIA Hon. Carlisle Powell, who officiated as Chairman, read the achievements and adventures of the Birthday Celebrant. Notable among them were her outstanding work ethics and entrepreneurial skills, which she pursued even when a woman’s place was designated to the home.
“She worked for most of the business places and well known families in Charlestown. She washed and ironed. She was so good at her task that some of the more popular taxi drivers used to take laundry from some of our sailors and we [in Nevis] had our first laundry mat, Mrs. Liburd. She was simply the best. The taxi man knew as a businessman, that if he dropped off the laundry, he would pick them up from Mrs. Liburd and they would be washed and ironed and ready to go.
~~Adz:Left~~“She also excelled in the Culinary Arts. Her children remembered the many Friday afternoons and nights they had to help themselves while they waited on their Mom as she sold her delicious meals to passersby. A lot of fishermen and local businessmen of all walks of life can recall Mrs. Liburd selling goat water, cornmeal, white rice, fish, etc. and she is still known today for her tasty Mauby drink,” her achievements indicated.
Mrs. Liburd also established work at the Cotton Ginnery in Charlestown, apart from operating her own business. Her work duty at the Ginnery was to feed the Ginneries cotton and to strip the cotton.
A footnote to her documented achievements credited her faith in God for her accomplishments as a mother, who found work outside and inside the home and who managed both tasks with aplomb.
Mrs. Liburd made brief remarks and articulated how the Lord had done great things for her, which made her heart glad. She thanked God for keeping her alive and implored her guests and by extension everyone, to always give thanks to God.
“I want to thank the Lord for all He’s done for me. God has been good to me, what more can He do. He’s keeping me alive and I thank him. I want to thank all those who celebrate with me for my 80th birthday. May the Lord bless all of you and keep you. May he take you home safely. The Lord has done great things for me whereby my heart is glad. We must give thanks unto the Lord,” she said.
