H.L. Stoutt's legacy should be 'drilled' into younger generation' – Hon Julian Fraser RA
Honourable Fraser made the remarks at the annual grave site memorial today March 7, 2016 at the Capoon's Bay burial ground, during which a number of dignitaries, including Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith, First District Representative and Senior Opposition member Honourable Andrew A. Fahie, Minister for Education and Culture Honourable Myron V. Walwyn among other officials of Government, attended.
The Opposition Leader said that it is important to remind the younger generation of the legacy of H. Lavity Stoutt, what he stood for and what he achieved during his time on earth.
“The younger generation...would not know of any of this unless we constantly drill it into them,” he said.
Recounting some of what the late former Chief Minister achieved, Honourable Fraser said that he recalled as a young man going to school he would meet other persons his age from other parts of Tortola that he did not know because there was no such integration prior to H. L Stoutt's efforts.
“It was only on August Monday when we go into town and you see these people your age that look strange to you...but they were Virgin Islanders. And then came H.L. Stoutt in 1968 and he gave us what was called a comprehensive school. That became the catalyst for what we have today, when we all meet together, not like in the hymn, but on Tortola,” he said.
According to Honourable Fraser, the annual commemoration serves to remind visitors that the Virgin Islands was not discovered, but developed. “So when you come to Tortola and you see it, this was not how it always was, so you didn't discover Tortola. It was developed on the backs of men like H.L. Stoutt,” he said.
Honourable Fraser said that it is the duty and responsibility of all those coming after H.L. Stoutt to continue his legacy and charged Premier Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith to do the same as had Honourable Ralph T. O'Neal OBE before him.
“May [H.L. Stoutt's] legacy live on through us and may we the people continue to uphold that obligation that we have,” he concluded.
Longest serving Chief Minister
Hamilton Lavity Stoutt (7 March 1929 – 14 May 1995) was the first and longest serving Chief Minister of the [British] Virgin Islands, winning five general elections (1967, 1979, 1986, 1991 and 1995) and serving three non-consecutive terms of office from 1967 to 1971, again from 1979 to 1983 and again from 1986 until his death in 1995.
He also served as a parliamentarian in the Legislative Council from 1957 until 1967 prior to the adoption of the 1967 constitution, and at the time of his death was thought to be the longest serving Parliamentarian in the Caribbean. He was a founder of and the leader of the United Party, but after splitting from the party in 1971 went on to found the Virgin Islands Party (VIP).
Since Mr Stoutt's death in 1995, a public holiday has been declared annually in his memory on his birthday, March 7.
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14 Responses to “H.L. Stoutt's legacy should be 'drilled' into younger generation' – Hon Julian Fraser RA”
Generations have a way of resembling over time. Check closer, you too may be related.
So many chunes for Stoutty. None for the rest.What a dull chorus this country has been singing for decades!