BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – HUNDREDS of mourners and sympathisers turned out this afternoon (June 12) to pay their last respect to Sheldon Kenrick Anthony ‘Sword’ Cannonier as he was laid to rest at the Springfield Cemetery amidst heavy police presence.
The Funeral Service for the 31-year-old father of three was held at the Rivers of Living Water Christian Centre in Lime Kiln with Reverend Allan Isaac as the Officiating Minister, and a visibly large number of armed members of the Special Services Unit strategically placed outside the church during the Service and around the cemetery during internment.
The packed programme for the Order of Service saw co-leader of the recently-formed National Integrity Party and former PAM’s candidate for St. Christopher One, Glenroy Blanchette reading the Eulogy, while tributes were paid by Cannonier’s sisters, Jacinta, Sheniqua and Valencia, in which each of them recited a poem, and Eugene Vanterpool performing a wonderful rendition of “How great thou Art’.
Also paying tribute were members of the Boys’ Brigade who did a soul-searching rendition of ‘In times like These’, while his nieces performed a dance routine and the attendees treated to a slide show presentation that depicted his early life to that of adulthood.
It was indeed a solemn event and most, if not all, of the mourners and sympathisers clapped and were moved to tears when the Rev. Isaac said that Cannonier had accepted Jesus Christ as his Saviour shortly before he died.
He stated that in the recent past, Cannonier had been a regular worshipper at Rivers and was always seen sitting behind him and his wife.
Rev. Isaac further stated that on a number of occasions his wife had asked Cannonier if he was ready to accept Jesus in his life, but he had always said he was not. However, mere hours before his shooting-death he told them he was ready and the entire congregation rejoiced.
Cannonier of Neverson Street East, Newtown, Basseterre was gunned down execution-style shortly after 12 noon on Sunday (June 2) after attending a church service in Lime Kiln.
Sources close to him informed that he had attended the mid-morning Service at the Rivers of Living Water Christian Center in Lime Kiln.
However, after exiting the church and heading towards the Good News Baptist Church to meet his daughter, a number of armed men approached and shot him to death.
Since then, three men, Sylvester ‘Syl’ Crossley of Fort Thomas Road, Basseterre, Shane Amory of New Road Housing and Vance Thomas of Fort Thomas Road, Basseterre were charged with his murder and remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison.
Left to mourn Sheldon Kenrick Anthony ‘Sword’ Cannonier’s passing are his mother Marilyn Cannonier; father Tyrone Matthew; grandmother Rita Browne; children Nicquone Cannonier, T’quandre Ward and Na’Asia Peets; fiancé Kishma Ward; sisters Diane, Jacinta, Valencia, Shaniqua, Kimberly and Orencia; brothers Elroy, Shirlon and Khalid; aunts Valarie Cannonier-Richards, Eileen Cannonier, Violet Cannonier-Fyfield-Jones and Lavern Browne; uncles Leon Steadmon, Wentworth, Stafford, Errol, Clarvis and Ashworth; 13 nieces; 10 nephews; brothers-in-law Tambora, Kurtney, Michael, Craig and Tashroy; sister-in-law Andrea and many cousins as well as dozens of close friends.
Among those who attended his funeral were the Parliamentary Representative for St. Christopher One, Hon. Dr. Asim Martin; Director of Youth Geoffrey Hanley; and PAM’s recently-announced candidate for St. Christopher One, Ian ‘Patches’ Liburd.
