SpencerST. JOHN'S, Antigua (CMC):
Regional leaders yesterday began paying tribute to St. Lucia Prime Minister Sir John Compton who they hailed as a Caribbean statesman.
Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer said Sir John, who died Friday night at age 82 after a period of illness, was a towering figure in the regional integration process.
"For many, many years, he has been part of the whole process for integration and development in the Caribbean, and certainly his influence and his quest for the Caribbean integration movement would have suffered by virtue of his passing," Spencer said.
felt across region
While conveying sympathies to the government and people of St. Lucia, Spencer said the death of the man who led St. Lucia to political independence in February 1979, would be felt across the entire region.
"Clearly, he was considered the father of the nation in St. Lucia, but has been a figure that represented the best in the politics of the region, and so, we all mourn his passing at this time.
"We just urge the people of St. Lucia to unite and to rededicate themselves to some of the ideals and hopes and aspirations that he definitely shared, not just for the people of St. Lucia, but for the Caribbean as a whole," he said.
rekindle unity
The Antiguan leader said St. Lucians should use Sir John's passing as a means of rekindling and reuniting the country and refocusing on Sir John's objective of creating a genuine Caribbean nation.
In her remarks, Prime Minister of Jamaica, Portia Simpson Miller said: "Amid the cloud of sadness, we take comfort in the fact that Sir John was a man of firm convictions and a guiding light and inspiration, not only to his country, but to the region on which he has left a huge and lasting impact."
Jamaica's Prime Minister-designate Bruce Golding said the Caribbean has been robbed of one of its most outstanding leaders who made an invaluable contribution to St. Lucia and the Caribbean.
Speaking shortly after news came of Sir John's death, Golding said he was the last surviving leader of an exciting era that saw several countries in the region make the transition from colonialism to independence.
"He was widely regarded as the father of St. Lucia and he dominated St. Lucian politics for over four decades. His irrepressible sprit was demonstrated in his return from retirement to lead his United Workers' Party to an astonishing victory in last year's election.
"Under his influence, St. Lucia became the dominant banana producer in the region and when the ultimate removal of preferential arrangement became obvious, he went about diversifying St. Lucia's economy by developing a strong tourism sector.
"On a personal level, he was my friend and I will miss him greatly," Golding said as he conveyed sympathies on behalf of the Jamaica Labour Party.
