By Nelson A. King
Sir Frederick Nathaniel Ballantyne,
a former governorgeneral
of St. Vincent and
the Grenadines, serving from
2002–2019, died on Jan. 23 at
his home in Villa, St. Vincent
and the Grenadines. He was 83.
“Sir Frederick was the longest
serving Head of State, having
served from September
2002 to July 2019,” said THE
VINCENTIAN on Jan. 24. “He is
said to have demitted office for
health reasons and recently had
been receiving care at the Milton
Cato Memorial Hospital.
“A medical doctor by profession,
Sir Frederick served this
country as the sole cardiologist
for many years, even as he
held the office of Senior Medical
Officer for an extended period
of public service,” the paper
added.
A trained cardiologist and
former chief medical officer of
St. Vincent and the Grenadines,
Sir Frederick was appointed
governor-general on Sept. 2,
2002, according to Wikipedia,
the online free encyclopedia.
It said he was sworn in after
nominated by the country’s
Prime Minister Dr. Ralph E.
Gonsalves.
Sir Frederick had succeeded
Dame Monica Dacon, who had
been acting in the position after
the death of Sir Charles Antrobus
in June 2002.
Later in 2002, “in connection
with his new appointment,
he was created a Knight Grand
Cross of the Order of Saint
Michael and Saint George by
Queen Elizabeth II,” according
to Wikipedia.
In June 2009, the University
of the West Indies, (UWI)
awarded Ballantyne a Doctor
of Science (D.Sc.). He was one
of 16 regional figures recognized
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for their contributions
with honorary degrees.
Ballantyne was born on July
5, 1936, as his parents’ only
child, according to David East
and Richard J. Thomas in their
“Profiles of People in Power:
The World’s Government Leaders”
(2014).
Sir Frederick’s father owned
a small hotel, and he has
described himself as “from a
business family’” according to
“History: Young Island.”
The “Physician Statesman”
said Ballantyne was the first
member of his family to attend
high school.
It said that, on the advice
of an acquaintance who had
studied medicine in the United
States, he chose to attend university
in that country, rather
than in Britain or Canada, as
was usual for Vincentians at
the time.
The “Physician Statesman”
said Sir Frederick completed a
bachelor’s degree in chemistry
at Howard University in Washington,
D.C., and then went on
to the SUNY Upstate Medical
University in Syracuse, New
York to study medicine.
Upstate Medical Alumni
Association (Winter 2013) said
Sir Frederick was the “sole
black individual” enrolled in the
medical school at the time.
It said Ballantyne was elected
Sir Frederick Ballantyne, the late governor general, St. Vincent
and the Grenadines seen here with Dr. Carissa F. Etienne,
PAHO director. PAHO
to student government in every
year of his degree; and, in his
final year, was elected student
body president.
After graduation, the association
said Sir Frederick interned
at the Montreal General Hospital
and then completed his residency
in internal medicine in
Rochester, New York, followed
by fellowship in cardiology.
On returning to St. Vincent
and the Grenadines in 1971, the
association said Ballantyne was
“the most highly trained physician
on the island.”
Former SVG GG Sir Frederick
Ballantyne passes
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