Hamutel Palmer, 105-year-old retired nurse, gives her acceptance speech after receiving her award. She is one of two centenarians honoured at the Hanover Homecoming Foundation Centenarian Awards held at the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort, in Montego Bay on Thursday night.
-Monique Hepburn photo
Monique Hepburn, Staff Reporter
WESTERN BUREAU:
HAMUTEL PALMER, 105-years-old, was the toast of the Hanover Homecoming Foundation's (HHF) inaugural Bird of Paradise Awards ceremony held on Thursday at the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort in Montego Bay, St. James.
Ms. Palmer received one of two HHF Centenarian Awards presented at the ceremony. The other was awarded to Stanley Stair, 104, the oldest World War One veteran in the parish.
Nola Stair, his granddaughter, received the award on his behalf, as he was unable to attend.
"I am happy that I live to see this day and I want to thank God for it," Ms. Palmer told the gathering after receiving the award. " I am happy to be here."
Ms. Palmer's speech delighted members of the audience who rose from their seats and offered her a standing ovation. With tears brimming in her eyes, she nodded in appreciation of their tribute.
Nurse Palmer, as she is affectionately called, is a native of St. Mary. She was born March 19, 1899. In 1934, she graduated from the Jamaica School of Nursing at the Kingston Public Hospital.
CALLED OUT OF RETIREMENT
In 1948, she was promoted to the position of assistant matron at the Annotto Bay Hospital, St. Mary. However she took a voluntary demotion as her administrative duties conflicted with her Sabbath. In 1949, she joined the nursing staff at the Lucea General Hospital (now the Noel Holmes Hospital) and retired in 1962. She was called out of retirement by the Ministry of Health to serve for an additional 15 years at the Mettyland Health Centre and the Hopewell Health Centre, a total of 53 years dedicated to nursing.
"The award is a symbol of the people of Hanover, who in their seemingly ordinary lives have given their best to Jamaica," said Dawn Skeete, HHF founder, in explaining the purpose of the award.
"Following the naming of Fort Charlotte after his wife, King George presented to the people of Hanover, The Bird of Paradise plant," said Mrs. Skeete. "We believe the plant's beauty represents the beauty of the people of Hanover."
Other awardees were Justice Seymour Panton, Professor Kenneth Hall, Principal of the University of the West Indies, Sidney Watson, mento musician and leader of Mt. Peace Mento Band, Councillor Des Wilson, former Lord Mayor of Nottingham, England, Dr. Roy Street, dental surgeon, who twice yearly brings a dental team to Jamaica to offer free dental care and Eric Frater, former principal of Ruseas High School, credited with introducing the first language lab in a secondary school in the Caribbean.
