BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – JUNIOR MINISTER of Culture, Hon. Wendy Phipps has attempted to clear the air on misconceptions and questions surrounding the Federation’s National Heroes.
While a guest on a daily local radio programme, Minister Phipps was questioned on the selection process of National Heroes, why only males were selected and why they all are politicians.
In response, the Minister indicated that she could not speak to the reasoning behind the criteria in the selection of the Federation’s first four National Heroes but to the fifth one who is still alive - the Rt. Excellent Sir Kennedy Simmonds.
She stated that in her view it was fitting to bestow the honour on Sir Kennedy.
Minister Phipps explained that “there is no rule written or unwritten that says the hero has to be a politician” but noted there are several factors that the current committee considered before the term National Hero could be bestowed on any individual.
“This person that you are holding up is the epitome or example of what every citizen in the country should be aspiring to be. Secondly, the determination of a National Hero is not a very simple thing in terms of financing. Even if we are doing an award posthumously, those awards are extremely expensive…When it comes to living National Heroes there are financial obligations that go with that for life,” Phipps said.
As the Federation celebrates its 33rd Independence Anniversary, there are five persons who have been conferred with the Order of National Hero - the highest honour within St. Kitts and Nevis.
The Rt. Excellent Sir Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw, the Federation’s first Premier, was the country’s first National Hero. He was conferred with this honour posthumously in 1998.
Six years later, Sir Caleb A. Paul Southwell, who was the Federation’s second Premier, and Sir Joseph Nathaniel France were also conferred with the honour, while Nevis’ first Premier, Sir Simeon Daniel was named the Federation’s fourth National Hero in 2013.
This honour was bestowed on Sir Kennedy, the Federation’s first Prime Minister, in 2015. Like Sir Robert, Southwell, France and Daniel were all bestowed with this honour posthumously.
Minister Phipps also explained that when such an honour is bestowed on an individual, it comes with a monetary contribution to the family of that honouree.
She stated that there is nothing stopping citizens and residents from putting pen to paper in recommending an individual for the National Hero Award or the Order of Merit Award.
All committees, she noted, would review those recommendations and act on whom they see best fitting for the awards.
“Because by law there is a piece of legislation that puts that committee in place (National Awards), and is charged with the responsibility for reviewing all the submission and making a justification to the submission to see if they make sense and if they stand up to the litmus test.”
Against this backdrop, Minister Phipps has advised all citizens and residents to learn more about the National Awards.
