Nation’s Heroes Remembered at Wreath Laying Ceremony

(ZIZ News) — A sizeable crowd gathered on Tuesday, National Heroes’ Day, at the Robert L. Bradshaw Community Park in St. Paul’s village for the Guard of Honour and Wreath Laying ceremony.

The annual ceremony honours the National Heroes of St. Kitts-Nevis, particularly the first National Hero, the Right Excellent Sir Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw.

The ceremony was chaired by St. Paul’s village resident and Director of the Department of Constituency Empowerment, Dr. Joyelle Clarke. It featured remarks by the country’s Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Dr. Denzil Douglas.

Prime Minister Douglas spoke of the importance of honouring the country’s heroes on an annual basis. He called on the adults of the community to ensure that children know and understand that importance.

The ceremony was punctuated with the laying of wreaths at the base of a monument erected in Bradshaw’s honour.

Governor General Sir Edmund Lawrence led the wreath laying exercise. He was followed by Prime Minister Douglas then Chairperson of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party the Honourable Marcella Liburd, the Commander of the Defence Force and the Commissioner of Police.

Resident ambassadors of the Republic of China on Taiwan, the Bolivian Republic of Venezuela, the Republic of Cuba and the Federative Republic of Brazil demonstrated their respect for St. Kitts-Nevis by also placing wreaths at Bradshaw’s monument.

Etsu Bradshaw-Caines, daughter of National Hero Sir Robert Bradshaw, and Joseph O’Flaherty, President of the St. Kitts-Nevis Trades and Labour Union, placed the final two wreaths.

To date, the country has identified four National Heroes: the Right Excellent Sir Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw, the Right Excellent Sir Caleb Azariah Paul Southwell, the Right Excellent Sir Joseph Nathaniel France and the Right Excellent Sir Simeon Daniel.