April 20th 2014 - It was a gala of golden memories, filled with warm feelings and united spirits...and it brought great inspiration to those gathered there. The source of inspiration was the revered leader of St. Kitts and Nevis who had stood the test of times, and who had done as much as he could to bring to fruition the stellar future he had envisioned for his country.
And as the speakers rose one by one on the evening of April 12, 2014 to wish him a Happy Birthday and a Happy Retirement from professional life, and as the patrons listened to the glowing tributes sent via video recordings, all recognised that ‘history had passed the final judgement’ on this esteemed leader and they hoped that the joy and unity coming from the evening’s love and pride in country was just a foretaste of things to come.
The occasion was the Birthday and Retirement Gala of the first Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr, the Right Honourable, Sir Kennedy Alphonse Simmonds and the setting was the spacious grounds of the upgraded Garvey’s Estate at Boyds which accommodated the erection of a huge tent under which patrons were seated around numerous decorated circular tables .
So huge was the crowd and so long were the lines to enter the compound that the perturbed chefs must have thought that if ever there were an occasion in modern times for a ‘five barley loaves and two fishes’ miracle, this would be it! All would be eventually fed but possibly not in the proportions they might have initially planned.
As the patrons waited, video presentations and messages recapped the life of our local hero – his first cabinet, past important meetings; his historic speeches like the one welcoming Independence, his welcome speech to Nelson Mandela on behalf of CARICOM, and his inaugural speech at the United Nations. Later, after the proceedings started some greetings were brought via video including tributes from Sir James Mitchell of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (his contemporary Prime Minister) and from Sir Cuthbert Sebastian, our former Governor General. Greetings also came from his siblings and children abroad including a birthday song from his granddaughter.
Hon. Shawn Richards, Political Leader of the People’s Action Movement, described Sir Kennedy as the Statesman all would want to emulate and saw him as the “bastion of democracy” and the forerunner of unity. But when Tapley Seaton, Q.C. former Attorney General in the PAM administration and Featured Speaker of the event, unveiled the extremely broad scope of Sir Kennedy’s skills, talents, experiences and achievements, a renewed admiration by all for this humble son of the soil emerged.
He showed that in all areas of endeavour, as a student, as a doctor, a sportsman, as a family man, as a politician, as a fighter for justice, as a Prime minister, he strove for excellence and that his breadth of vision made him an unparalleled leader. His fiscal prudence ensured that St. Kitts was left with a manageable national debt and not an inter-generational one.
One did not have to stretch one’s imagination to acknowledge that we had in our midst a true national hero!
The speakers of the Gala all tried to outline or assess the “measure of the man” that was Sir Kennedy but after the Featured Speaker’s extremely broad summation of his life, it was obvious that each speaker could only address the areas that were particularly appealing to him/her.
THE MEASURE OF THE MAN
“The true measure of a man is how he provides for his children,” says Sidney Poitier, quoting his father in his autobiography, The Measure of a Man’. ‘Children’ here could be interpreted as ‘children of the nation’ for as Kenrick, Sir Kennedy’s son, so rightly puts it...”He was father to us, but also father to the nation.” Many speakers sought to show that every national benefitted from Sir Kennedy’s policies – the student, the nurses, the single mother, the sportsmen, the sugar workers, the small businessman, the taxpayers – all were brought relief and given a stimulus. “He improved the life of all citizens,” Tapley Seaton,Q.C. avowed.
“The measure of a man is what he does with power,” says Plato. Dr. Timothy Harris, Leader of the People’s Labour Party and of Team Unity, in his presentation, described Sir Kennedy as “one who allowed the best ideas to contend.” He spoke of controversial ideas with which he had to contend, but said he was one who was prepared to follow through with the best idea irrespective of where it came from. He cited the move to Independence, the abolition of Income Tax and the acquisition of the Sugar Lands. Constance Mitcham, former Minister of Women’s Affairs spoke of how receptive he was to ideas, while former Attorney General Tapley Seaton Q.C. spoke of him being “first among equals” – a leader who was a moulder not a searcher for consensus.
Plutarch says: “The measure of a man is the way he bears misfortune,” while Martin Luther King Jr states, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.” Though many are prone to put on a good face in public, we heard from Sir Kennedy’s son, Kenrick.. .“my father never panics...he has patience beyond belief...he takes a problem, sits down and absorbs it and then comes up with a solution...”
On every level that one sought to measure Sir Kennedy, he emerged with flying colours. When Thomas Macaulay opined that ‘the measure of a man is what he would do if he knew he could never be found out’, he was speaking of the integrity or lack of it that resided within a person’s character. PAM’s former political leader, Lindsay Grant expounded on Sir Kennedy’s integrity in his presentation. He revealed that even Sir Robert Bradshaw demonstrated his belief in Sir Kennedy’s professional integrity when he insisted that Kennedy, even though he was his political opponent, was to remain as his anaesthesiologist when he had to undergo surgery for the condition that finally took his life. He also elaborated on his ‘unborrowed vision’.
Throughout the centuries, man has sought to create criteria that would serve to measure one’s life. Apart from the yardsticks given above, others have said that the measure of a man lies in not what he gets, but what he gives (Robert South); or that it depends on how he treats those who can do nothing for him (Malcolm Forbes?); or how he triumphs over those who sought to hold him down (Bill Clinton), but on this Gala night all were in agreement that Sir Kennedy ‘measured up’ to all criteria and was truly deserving of all the accolades showered on him. His response to all these tributes must be written about separately because of the lessons we further learnt from the sincere and unassuming ‘conversation’ this outstanding leader had with the guests of his birthday and retirement gala.
Sir Kennedy paid tribute to the former colleagues of his administration asking them to stand and stated that it was through their assistance that he was able to achieve as much as he did.
Tribute was also paid to his wife, Lady Mary Simmonds by Featured Speaker Tapley Seaton, Q.C. for her steadfast support of Sir Kennedy and for the sacrifices she had to make on behalf of the Nation. One of the highlights of the evening was the surprise appearance of his first daughter, Pauline who lives abroad. When she came in her father was visibly taken aback.. She spoke lovingly on behalf of absent siblings and family members.
The evening was capably and amusingly ushered along by MC Jonel Powell, candidate for Constiuency 2 whom Team Unity hopes will be the successor to Sir Kennedy in this constituency. The Vote of Thanks, an almost impossible task considering how many were involved in making the evening a success, was given by Hon. Eugene Hamilton.
Kudos must go to those who initiated this celebration, for that it indeed was. Ms Cyndie Demming, the present Chairperson and Hon. Shawn Richards, the Political Leader of the People’s Action Movement, are deserving of praise in seeking to give Sir Ken his flowers while he could still appreciate them.
The Evening was also educational as it served to revive the record of achievements that took place during the time of the former administration – achievements which are often taken for granted or unknown among the youth who were yet unborn or too young to understand why this former leader made such an impact on the lives of all Kittitians and Nevisians.
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