Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 01, 2016 (SKNIS): Honourable Eugene Hamilton, Minister of Community Development, Gender Affairs and Social Development, took the opportunity to publicly recognize the Federation’s eight centenarians during the sitting of Parliament on June 30.
“Mr. Speaker, I also want to congratulate those eight centenarians who celebrated, and the Governor General did a wonderful job in celebrating them, a few weeks ago,” Minister Hamilton said. “We have eight, at least that we know of, centenarians in the Federation. The last, who came on board last month, hails from Saddlers, a Mr. (Edward) Bailey; he became 100 just this year.”
The referenced ceremony was hosted by His Excellency Sir S. W. Tapley Seaton on May 31, in commemoration of National Centenarian Day. Minister Hamilton sadly recounted that since the observance, one of the members of the centenarian group had passed away.
“In fact one has recently died, I understand, the oldest one who was about 107 years old, or thereabout, (Ismay) Sweeney – she died just last week,” he said. “I know of a 99 year old person, who will this September make 100 right in my own home village of Cayon. I trust that she lives to see that age and that we can celebrate with her when she gets to that 100 mark.”
The centenarians in St. Kitts now include Gladys Williams at 103 years old; Louise Isaac 102 years old; Alfred Tyson 101 years old, and Una Duporte, Samuel Depusoir, Amos Davis, and Edward Bailey are all 100 years old.
The centenarians in Nevis are Celian Powell at 104 years old; Florence Liburd, Doris Claxton and William Douglas are 101 years old, and Rosetta Hull and Dowie Elliott are both 100 years old.