As the nation bade farewell to the Right Excellent Sir Garfield Sobers, Prime Minister Mia Mottley declared that his life and achievements helped define Barbados at the moment of its independence, proving that the country’s ambitions would never be constrained by its colonial past.
Delivering the tribute of the nation during the state funeral for one of Barbados’ greatest sons of the soil, Prime Minister Mottley said the achievements of the world’s finest cricket all-rounder helped to shape the identity of a newly independent nation and proved that Barbados’ aspirations would never be limited by its past.
From left: Brigadier Carlos Lovell, Commissioner of Police Sonia Boyce, National Hero The Right Excellent Robyn Rihanna Fenty and Prime Minister Mia Mottley (in white). (Photo Credit: Kurtis Hinds)
Insisting that Sir Garry would forever be linked with the birth of the nation, she said his remarkable success on the cricket field during that defining period became a source of pride, confidence and hope for Barbados.
“Sir Garry gave us the gift of understanding that even though others may have ruled us for over 300 years that they could not define our greatness and could not shape our bludgeon our aspirations. It is a gift to the nation that could not have been greater.
“I say today as we say farewell to you Sir Garry, this is your final walk from Kensington Oval. This will be our country’s last opportunity to give you that which you became so accustomed to — a standing ovation.”
As she paid tribute to the cricket icon’s enduring influence, Mottley said Sir Garry’s life had demonstrated that excellence and humility could exist side by side, inspiring generations of Barbadians to believe that greatness was within their reach.
Government officials, former prime minister Freundel Stuart, former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley were among those at the state funeral. (Photo Credit: Kurtis Hinds)
“We thank you for teaching us that greatness could wear humility, that excellence could still belong to ordinary people. That the dreams of a little boy from the Bayland could become the inheritance of an entire nation.”
Drawing on the calypso lyrics of the late Emile Straker, ‘When a man good he good and when a man great, he great’, Mottley said they perfectly captured the measure of the man whose achievements transcended sport and became part of the country’s national story.
Insisting that there was no greater example of excellence, the prime minister also reflected on the more personal moments she shared with Sir Garry, recalling that while he was an intensely competitive opponent during their domino games, he never lost sight of fairness and sportsmanship.
“It made me understand that fierce competitiveness could live in the same soul as one who was utterly humble and gracious and one who understood as I said earlier the importance of fair play.”
Noting that Sir Garry’s death came just shy of his 90th birthday, Mottley also recognised the symbolic timing of the West Indies’ teams presence — which came after winning the Second Test against Pakistan the day before on what would have been Sobers’s 90th birthday — to pay their final respects to the man who had inspired generations of West Indies cricketers.
(JB)
