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| Premier of Nevis the Hon. Joseph Parry at the funeral service of the late Federal Parliament member and former Deputy Premier of Nevis the Hon.Malcolm Guishard |
(Charlestown, Nevis) The following are remarks made by the Premier of Nevis the Hon. Joseph Parry at the funeral service of the late Federal Parliament member and former Deputy Premier of Nevis the Hon.Malcolm Guishard on Wedneday, June 20, 2007 at Grove Park in Charlestown, Nevis.
"Death is so inevitable, so final. Those of us who have lived the experiences of a loved one passing can testify to the cold finality of death. We are always shocked at the news. The passing of Hon Malcolm Guishard on Monday, 11th June, was as shocking as it was sudden. A man so pregnant with life and living was suddenly plucked from among us.
The Country was stunned. Nevis was stunned. We were left with the cold comfort of the words of the great writers. ‘What is man?’ the Bible asks, and Shakespeare whose words have been quoted through the ages penned the expression, ‘Life is full of sound and fury’, it is like a player ‘who struts and frets on stage and is heard no more’.
Hon Malcolm Guishard was on the stage of public life. He has served the people of Nevis and St Kitts since 1992, but Malcolm was much more than that. He was flesh and blood. He was our friend, our companion, a people’s man.
I taught Malcolm at school; and indeed he was one of the most friendly and well behaved students I worked with. Our friendship was solidified through an incident on the cricket field that I have reminded him of quite often. I was fielding at second slip and Malcolm was bowling left arm seamers . As usual he had difficulty in finding the wicket. He seamed one straight at me amid great laughter and merriment of the other players. He was a teacher, a clerk. He worked with Higgs and Hill who did the first major surfacing of the Nevis Island road.
He loved people. He engaged in discussions of all kinds with great gusto. If he could not win with facts, he used his great voice to overpower his opponents. He made no enemies. He was quick to reach out to friends and opponents alike at the end of an argument. He gave as good as he got with no hard feelings left behind. ~~Adz:Right~~
I can attest to that. Many a time the sparks flared ferociously high from our exchanges in the House of Assembly. We never parted without a few words of laughter and reconciliation.
In 1992, he became a Member of the Nevis House of Assembly and a Minister of Government. He held several portfolios over a period of 14 years.
I highlight three of his achievements in Tourism that must have a lasting impact on Nevisians.
The concept of the Heritage Village is not only original, it encapsules the history of this island for many generations to come and for the many visitors who come to our shores. One writer states that if you do not know your history you will live to repeat it. It is for us to build on what Mr Guishard has left behind for the future generations of Nevis.
Secondly, he must be applauded for providing 15 acres of land at Pinneys with 600 ft beach front for the people of Nevis. It is the only spot on Pinneys Beach that is not in private hands and where Nevisians can enjoy themselves un-intimidated and undisturbed.
Thirdly, he established the Nevis Tourism Authority as a separate marketing entity for the Ministry of Tourism. It was a bold and positive move that will continue to support the Marketing efforts of the major industry on the island.
It was Henry Wadsworth Longfellow who immortalizes these words
‘The tide rises, the tide falls
The twilight darkens the curfew calls
The little waves, with their soft white hands,
Efface the footprints in the sands’.
Or as another writer describes time ‘as the finger which writes and move on’. Life goes on even as we drop like fragrant rose petals from the tree. Even so fresh flowers open their perfumed-filled bloom to give glory and praise for a season. So much like man, we perform on the stage of life and give way for others to continue the wonderful job of building a better world; of reaching the stars.
It is Malcolm’s time. I am satisfied that we have generally conducted ourselves with dignity and in good order. You see, it is so important that we do so. We are a young nation with a new generation of young persons with great expectations. They are the most enlightened generation of our time. They watch us. They record our conduct and they learn by example. Let us use this occasion to demonstrate to them that we can argue and disagree and even agree to disagree, but, when the opportunity presents itself that we will conduct ourselves as mature human beings and with dignity.
If we succeed we would have done great service to our young people and have contributed considerably to the security of Mr Guishard’s legacy.
I conclude in this way. On behalf of my wife, my family, the Cabinet, the Government and people of Nevis, I salute Hon Malcolm Guishard for his contribution to the life of this nation and to the development of Nevis. In the words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, in Malcolm’s departing, he leaves behind ‘Foot prints on the Sands of Time’.
‘Footprints, that perhaps another
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother
Seeing, shall take heart again’.
To all who are left behind to mourn, his wife Yvonne, his children, mother, father, siblings. I offer heart felt condolences on my behalf, my wife, my family, the Cabinet, the Government and people of Nevis, and in the words of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, ‘May flights of angels accompany him to his rest.’
May his soul and the souls of all the departed saints, rest in peace."
