Caribbean Baroness Among Leaders Bidding Farewell To The Queen

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?”

(Front L to R) Britain’s former Prime Ministers Theresa May, John Major, and Baroness Scotland, (Second row from L to R) Britain’s former Prime Ministers Gordon Brown, Tony Blair, (third row from L to R) Britain’s former Prime Ministers David Cameron and Boris Johnson, arrive for a meeting of the Accession Council inside St James’s Palace in London on September 10, 2022, to proclaim King Charles III as the new King. (Photo by JOE GIDDENS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

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 and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne (C) and Jamaica’ Prime Minister Andrew Holness, l, walks with other dignitaries as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is carried out of Westminster Abbey, after the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey on September 19, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Frank Augstein – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

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.

Prince William, Prince of Wales chats with the Governor of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dame Susan Dougan during a lunch held for governors-general of the Commonwealth nations at Buckingham Palace on September 17, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Stefan Rousseau – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

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.