Two deserving ladies receive this year’s National Honours Award

Maria Louise Barker

ZIZ News…Sept 17, 2012 — Governor General His Excellency Sir Cuthbert Sebastian has announced Agnes Crossley and Maria Louise Barker as the recipients of the 2012 National Honours Awards.

Maria Louise Barker, native to the twin island Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, received the “Star of Merit” for her contribution to nursing. She was born on August 18 1935 to the late Thomas and Cecily Barker of Basseterre.

Following her ambition to help others, she became a Student Nurse at the Cunningham Hospital in St. Kitts at the age of 17. She then went of to further her education overseas and began her long nursing career when she accepted the position of Assistant Head Nurse at Halifax Infirmary, Canada, where she worked in the Operating Theatre. She then went on to hold other positions such as Assistant Head Nurse in Cleveland, Ohio, and Nurse Supervisor at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.

Following the destructive Hurricane Hugo in 1989, Ms. Barker liaised with the European Union to solicit financial assistance for the repair and upgrading of the JNF General Hospital, and the Alexandra Hospital respectively.

Ms. Maria Louise Baker has truly made significant strides in the field of nursing in St. Kitts and Nevis and is well deserving of this Star of Merit Award.

Agnes Crossley

Meanwhile, Ms.AGNES CROSSLEY received the ” MEDAL OF HONOUR” for her work in Agriculture.

Agnes Crossley, who was born in Cayon in 1937, knew from the youthful age of 19 that work in agriculture was her calling. By this means she has made an invaluable contribution to the development of the Federation for over 55 years.

Beginning as a small business vendor in farm produce, Mrs. Crossley set up her stall outside RAMS Supermarket on the Bay Road before moving to the Basseterre Public Market. Her business strategies demonstrate a clear understanding of the economies of scale. In times of scarcity of specific vegetables, she seeks these out and purchases them for resale to her numerous customers.

Her astute business knowledge, garnered from many decades of service to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis and further afield, has enabled Mrs. Crossley to become generally regarded as the most successful vendor of farm produce in St. Kitts.