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Hanover residents urged to emulate Bustamante in COVID-19 fight

Published:Saturday | February 27, 2021 | 12:09 AM
Custos of Hanover, Dr David Stair, lays a floral tribute to mark the 137th anniversary of the birth of National Hero Sir Alexander Bustamante, at his birthplace on February 24.
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Custos of Hanover, Dr David Stair, lays a floral tribute to mark the 137th anniversary of the birth of National Hero Sir Alexander Bustamante, at his birthplace on February 24.

Residents of Hanover are being urged to emulate the strength of character and sense of community of noted son of the parish and National Hero Sir Alexander Bustamante in the fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Custos of the parish, Dr David Stair, encouraged residents to, like Bustamante, “put others before self” and “be our brother’s keeper” in ensuring compliance with the infection prevention and control measures.

“We have to put up with the short-term discomforts so that we will be able to return to life as we knew it before COVID,” he pointed out.

“Today, I would just like to encourage all our people to conform to the protocols put out by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, which are designed to slow the spread of COVID-19. This crisis that we face is real. It is not only a health issue, it also affects the economy,” he said.

Stair was addressing a floral tribute to mark the 137th anniversary of Bustamante’s birth, held at his birthplace in Blenheim, Hanover, on Wednesday.

With attendance restricted due to the COVID-19 protocols, the function was streamed live to residents of the parish and citizens across the island.

Member of Parliament for Western Hanover Tamika Davis, in her address, said that Bustamante believed in a cohesive community and parish in which people worked together for the well-being of all its members.

She implored citizens to call on that sense of community, especially in the midst of the pandemic.

“It is that strength of character, it is that sense of belonging to a community, it is the sense of being a member of this beautiful parish of Hanover that will cause you to wear your masks, sanitise and stay socially distanced,” she noted.

The function featured tributes in song and poetry by 2018 Gospel Song finalist, Shaundre Cowan, and a student of the Green Island High School, Karlia Jarrett, respectively.

Floral tributes were laid by Stair, Davis; Councillor Devon Brown of the Hopewell Division, representing mayor and chairman of the Hanover Municipal Corporation, Councillor Sheridan Samuels; and Councillor Fearon Decarish of the Chester Castle Division.