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Saturday, 1 July 2023

Barbadian genius Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford: truly an iconic figure in his own life time, is dead!


By Stanley Collymore    
  
You always were, still are and    
will forever be an irrefutably    
phenomenal inspiration in    
the lives of all Barbadians irrespective    
of the generation, that they belong to;    
and also crucially significantly, those    
still unborn. A distinct, exceptionally    
outstandingly fulfilled life, that very    
certainly on your part, was clearly    
lived to the fullest; in significantly    
quite obviously, advantageously    
too, likewise very constructively    
distinctively simply shaping the    
future and actually the careers    
of plainly, multiple generations    
of thoroughly indebted Bajans;    
as we adoringly call ourselves.    
  
Mortals we all are and Death    
is inevitable, although our    
Barbadian culture and    
upbringing do positively, encourage us    
to very welcomingly embrace it as and    
when it inevitably comes, and crucially    
in no way, intelligently fear it; as Death    
so discernibly is not the definitive end.
And you Sir are the classic archetypal    
embodiment of this lovely philosophy    
of ours and, as such, those of us who    
are still here quite uncompromisingly    
salute and obviously, wholeheartedly    
honour the phenomenal perspicacity    
with which you've clearly remarkably    
conducted your exceptionally styled    
honourably lived, and rewarding life!    
  
Consequently, we who remain will    
undoubtedly miss you for sure    
while absolutely confident    
nevertheless, that your quite esteemed 
eight decades plus presence amongst    
us, and similarly what most irrefutably    
quite superbly conscionably, similarly    
empathetically and very committedly
stood for, will constantly remain very    
deeply ingrained; forever rapturously    
treasured and enduringly so lovingly    
in the hearts, minds, and recurrently
permanent reminiscences naturally,    
of every Citizen - of our meritocracy
motivated, evident politically stable
democracy; crucially well-educated    
and an unequivocally plain-spoken,
intrepid independent Bajan Nation!    
  
(C) Stanley V. Collymore    
27 June 2023.      
  

  
Author's Remarks:            
On the 26 June 2023 Barbadians both at home and throughout our global Diaspora learnt sadly of the death of one of our most iconic and progressive political leaders who died that day.  
 
Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford: a veritably outstanding educationalist, politician and the 4th Prime Minister of our truly beloved homeland hugely transformed Barbados into the exceptionally quite outstanding society that it is today; not only in terms of education and health with Barbados at the very top of these globally, but equally our country's political maturity and stability, in tandem with the precepts of Meritocracy, Equality and Democracy for all Barbadians regardless of where they live or were born, as the late notable USA Congresswoman: Shirley Chisholm, who was of Barbadian heritage and had her formative education in Barbados always proudly recounted.  
 
I knew Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford personally as we were members of the same political party the Barbados Democratic Labour Party (DLP); and he will be sorely missed. Hence this tribute to him!  
 
I also wish to express my sincerest condolences to Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford's widow, Lady Angelita Sandiford an outstanding Bajan in her own right as a psychologist and educationalist and their three children. My thoughts are with you. And to all my fellow Bajans I know how you feel as I feel the same.  
 
Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford 24 March 1937 - 26 June 2023. Age 86 years. You'll never be forgotten! The Barbados Government, Parliament and our Nation quite expectedly and highly commendably have confirmed that Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford, our former Prime Minister will have a State Funeral.

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