GOV’T PLANS CELEBRATION IN HONOUR OF TERRITORY’S 1ST CHIEF MINISTER

Wednesday February 22, 2012

The Government of the Virgin Islands in collaboration with the H. Lavity Stoutt Commemorative Committee will hold their 11th annual Wreath Laying Ceremony in remembrance of the Territory’s first Chief Minister, the late Honourable Hamiliton Lavity Stoutt.

The Late H. Lavity Stoutt served as Chief Minister of the Virgin Islands for over 16 years and is credited with establishing the Cruise Ship Pier, creating the Social Security Scheme, devising the Central Administration Building and spearheading the development of the local community college fittingly named in his honour, the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College.

Mr. Stoutt has also been responsible for guiding the Virgin Islands throughout its development as an international finance centre and was described as very passionate and committed to the development of educational opportunities for the people of the Territory.

At the Wreath Laying Ceremony on Monday, March 5 at 10 am, several Government Ministers will pay homage to this visionary leader. Premier and Minister of Finance Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith, Minister for Education and Culture Honourable Myron V. Walwyn and Leader of the Opposition Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE are among the Government dignitaries to be present.

Director of the Learning Resource Centre Ms. Bernadine Louis who also serves as curator of the “H. Lavity Stoutt Memorial Room” at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College described Mr. Stoutt as a “National hero who loved his country.”

“He introduced and implemented a number of programmes and projects to improve the standard of living for everyone in this country. He really was a statesman,” she said.
Directly following the Wreath Laying Ceremony, the public is invited to a Commemorative Celebration in the form of a “Family Fun Day” on the Capoon’s Bay Recreational Grounds.

Acting Director of Culture Mrs. Brenda Lettsome Tye said it promises to be a day filled with culture, history and fun. “Come out and celebrate with us the birthday of this great leader who we have all benefitted from. We have him to thank for the many different initiatives that he foresaw, that we are now the beneficiaries of. There is no better reason than that for us to come out and celebrate his birthday.”

The first Monday in March is declared as a public holiday in celebration of the anniversary of the birthday of the Territory’s first Chief Minister. The late Honourable H. Lavity Stoutt was born on March 7th, 1929. He died on May 14th, 1995.

The Government of the Virgin Islands through the Ministry of Education and Culture celebrates the life of the late Honourable H. Lavity Stoutt as a national hero of cultural and historic significance to the Virgin Islands. He was most notably remembered as saying, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”