By NAN Staff Writer
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Tues. Sept. 20, 2022: Caribbean Baroness Patricia Scotland, secretary general of the Commonwealth, today joined other Caribbean leaders and those from around the world in saying farewell to HM Queen Elizabeth, II as her funeral concluded in the U.K.
The Dominican born Baroness read the first reading at Westminister Abbey from 1 Corinthians 15, including verse 55: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”
Countries that are now republics, including Barbados, were also represented at the funeral today. Barbados – which ditched the Queen as head of state last year and is now a Republic, sent Dame Sandra Mason, its President, to the funeral and also flew its flag at half-staff on buildings across the island today.
Antigua & Barbuda, PM Gaston Browne, attended with Governor General Rodney Williams, despite a big announcement last week that he will be moving to make the country a Republic.
Jamaica’s Governor General Sir Patrick Allen along Prime Minister, Andrew Holness were also present along with:
The Turks & Caicos’ Governor of the Turks & Caicos Nigel Dakin and Premier Charles Washington Misick;
The Cayman Islands’ Governor of the Cayman Islands Martyn Keith Roper and Premier G. Wayne Panton;
Bermuda’s Governor General Rena Lalgie and Premier David Burt;
BVI’s Governor General John J. Rankin and Premier Natalio D. Wheatley;
Montserrat’s Governor General Sarah Tucker and Premier Easton Taylor-Farrell;
Trinidad & Tobago’s President Paula Mae-Weekes;
St. Lucia’s Acting Governor-General of Saint Lucia, Errol Charles;
The Bahamas’ Prime Minister of Bahamas, Philip “Brave” Davis and Governor General Sir Cornelius Smith;
Grenada’ Governor General Dame Dr Cécile La Grenade;
St. Kitts and Nevis’ new foreign affairs minister, Denzil Douglas and
Belize was represented by its Governor General Dame Froyla Tzalam.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines was represented by its Governor General, Dame Susan Dougan while Dominica was represented by Speaker of the House of Assembly, Joseph Isaac and Guyana, a Republic, bv Gail Teixeira, of the office of minister of parliamentary affairs and governance.
The Royal Family were also joined in the Abbey by a 2000-strong congregation including other Heads of State and Overseas Government Representatives, Foreign Royal Families, Governors General and Realm Prime Ministers.
Also in attendance were other representatives of the Realms and the Commonwealth, the Orders of Chivalry including recipients of the Victoria Cross and George Cross, Government, Parliament, the devolved Parliaments and Assemblies, the Church, and Her Majesty’s Patronages.
Almost 200 people who were recognised in The Queen’s Birthday Honors earlier this year were also present, including those who made extraordinary contributions to the response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and have volunteered in their local communities.
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