Under cloudy skies, which kept those in attendance cool, Cayman celebrated National Heroes Day Monday, honouring ‘Volunteerism and Charitable Services’.
More than 200 individuals and organisations were recognised at the ceremony, which celebrated awardees as Early Pioneer, Pioneer, Philanthropist and Charitable Services.
Premier Wayne Panton and Minister of Culture Bernie Bush jointly presented the awards, which comprised a commemorative insignia and certificate, to the 206 honourees under the four categories, with family members and representatives standing in for those who could not attend or were recognised posthumously.
In addition, Governor Martyn Roper took part in his last National Heroes Day ceremony, as he and his wife, Lissie, are scheduled to leave Cayman at the end of March, with Jane Owen taking up the post in April.
Ahead of presenting the awards, Bush spoke of the importance of this year’s theme.
Noting this marked the 20th anniversary of National Heroes Day, he said he was extremely proud “to celebrate the achievements of our volunteers and charitable services”.
He added that under the theme for this year’s ceremony, “we recognise the commitment volunteers and not-for-profit organisations have shown in our community” and stressed that these individuals and groups “give of their time, energy and talents for free, all for the betterment of these three islands we call home. Motivated by their desire to help uplift the lives of others, their work is largely unsung.”
He explained that the two main categories for this year’s awards were selected to be able to include both individuals and charitable services, so it was important to have a separate section to honour not-for-profit organisations who have contributed “to the safety and wellbeing of our community”.
Bush added, “I trust that today’s awards will inspire not only the next generation to give back to the many charitable causes in the Cayman Islands but to all of us in everyday lives.”
Panton noted this was the first National Heroes Day in two years without restrictions due to COVID. “It is good to be back at full force and it is only fitting that we honour volunteerism and charitable services today, as arguably, it was one of the integral contributors keeping us afloat during the hardest days of our battle with the global pandemic.”
‘The best of who we are’
He continued, “Each year we pause as a nation to remember those who have gone before us… These heroes are the centrepieces to our collective history… The individuals and organisations we honour today represent the best of who we are. They are the embodiment of Caymankind: caring, altruistic, helpful and hospitable. Whether deliberately or on an unconscious level, our nominees have adopted the Caymanian values that our forefathers left behind for us and we are better for it. Indeed, we are immensely grateful for it and we are grateful for them.”
He encouraged those watching the ceremony to become volunteers themselves. “Let today be the day that you consider how you can get involved and do your part for your community,” Panton said.
All together, 71 people were recognised as Early Pioneers, 124 honoured as Pioneers, and 10 charitable services were presented awards. In addition, Susan A. Olde was named in the category of Philanthropist as an individual who has donated more than $1 million to charitable services.
For the complete list of honourees and the ceremony’s programme click here.
Officials, relatives and other members of the public laid wreaths at the busts of each of the national heroes, the black granite Wall of Honour memorial, and the monument to catboats, ‘Dreams from the Sea’.
Cayman’s 10 national heroes were also remembered at Monday’s ceremony, with biographies read out of the six men and four women – James Manoah Bodden, William Warren Conolly, Thomas William Farrington, Sybil Joyce Hylton, Sybil Ione McLaughlin, Dr. Roy Edison McTaggart, Ormond Lauder Panton, Desmond Vere Watler, Mary Evelyn Wood and Leila Ross-Shier.
Representatives of each of the following uniformed services and organisations took part in the opening and closing parade at Heroes Square – the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, the Fire Service, Her Majesty’s Prison Service, the Cayman Islands Coast Guard, Cayman Islands Regiment, the Cayman Islands Cadet Corps, the Girls’ Brigade, Scouts and Cub Scouts, and the Seventh-day Adventist Pathfinders.
Watch the full ceremony on CIGTV.
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