By Nelson A. King
The Brooklyn-based St. Vincent
and the Grenadines Ex-
Police Association USA, Inc.
recently honored oldest member
Haywood Thomas on his
94th birthday, saying that it was
appropriate to recognize and
“celebrate this icon.”
“Because of COVID-19, we
were restricted in the way we
wanted to celebrate this icon,”
association president Pamella
Ferrari-Easter told Caribbean
Life on Monday. “However, our
members devised a plan to celebrate
with him; and, with his
permission, we pulled it off on
Sunday, Sept. 20.
“Bro. Thomas is such a knowledgeable
person, as one who represented
(labor) unions both in
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
and here, his adopted home,”
added the former corporal in the
Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Police Force, who hails
from Canouan in the Southern
St. Vincent Grenadine islands.
“He has information on a
wide range of subjects – very
witty, a great sense of humor;
his memory is like a modernday
computer,” Ferrari-Easter
continued. “He gives so many
words of encouragement, great
ideas for building our organization
to continue to serve.
“We are lucky to be afforded
the opportunity to have him in
our organization,” she said. “His
presence is valuable, and his
contributions are enormous.”
Apart from his numerous
ideas and contributions, Ferrari-
Easter said Thomas, “who was
a baker, when he worked as a
prison officer at Her Majesty’s
Prisons (in St. Vincent and the
Grenadines), has not lost his
touch and finesse when it comes
to cooking and baking.
“He baked Black cake, which
he shared with us, as we celebrated
Caribbean L 30 ife, October 16-22, 2020
with him, which was
excellent and very tasty,” said
Ferrari-Easter, stating that
the celebration took place at
Haywood’s home in Flatbush,
Brooklyn, “where he was given
gifts and also a plaque.”
“He was also joined (virtually)
by a few of his children as far
away as in St. Vincent and the
Grenadines,” she added. “It was
an incredibly happy occasion for
him, as it was also for us. We
wish Bro. Thomas many more
birthdays.”
Arden Cameron Tannis,
immediate past president and
current trustee on the Board
of Directors of the St. Vincent
and the Grenadines Ex-Police
Association USA, Inc., also told
Caribbean Life that “it was very
important to honor him with
our presence for the bare fact
that, at his age, he is still present
with us today.
“We in the organization
believe in honoring people while
they are alive,” said the former
inspector in the Royal St. Vincent
and the Grenadines Police
Force. “For his age, he is the
most dedicated and devoted
member of the organization I
know.
“He brings to our meetings
wisdom, reasoning, understanding
and a sense of calm during
heated discussions,” Tannis
added. “Lately, he has become
even more involved due to coronavirus.
Haywood Thomas holds plaque after being honored by the
Brooklyn-based St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ex-Police
Association USA, Inc. Arden Cameron Tannis
“He is not hampered by commuting
to and from meeting,”
he continued. “He is up to date
with social media and technology.
He is almost always one of
the first members to call in on
our weekly teleconference.
“At one meeting, I was surprised
when Mr. Thomas said
he was going to block someone
on Facebook who was annoying
him,” Tannis said.
Thomas told Caribbean Life
that he was grateful for the
honor “because of my continued
loyalty.
Ex-SVG police group honors
oldest member on 94th birthday
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