A final chapter about sterling leadership in Anguilla’s revolutionary history, has closed with the passing and interment of Sir Emile Rudolph Gumbs, Knight Bachelor, the island’s Second and longest-serving Chief Minister.
On Friday, May 25, following an Official or State Funeral, at St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Sir Emile was laid to rest at the northern elevated perimeter of the Bethel Methodist Church-yard Cemetery. The burial site majestically overlooks his former coastline village of Sandy Ground where he lived; parts of North Hill, where he grew up, and South Hill – comprising the Road North Constituency which he represented for 27 years before gracefully retiring in 1994, undefeated at the polls.
The climaxing events at the cemetery were the presentation of the Official National Flag to Lady Josephine Gumbs by the Honourable Chief Minister, Mr. Victor Banks, after it had draped Sir Emile’s casket and was folded by the Police Pallbearers; a gun salute of three rounds by the Police Firing Party; the blowing of the bugle; and the interment performed by the Rev. Dr. Wycherley Gumbs, Superintendent of the Anguilla Methodist Circuit, and Rev. Wilmoth Hodge.
The celebrated former Anguilla Government leader died on May 10 at the age of 90. His passing was marked by an Official Period of Mourning; the flying of flags at half-mast; an island-wide motorcade; the Lying in State of his body at the Court House (the Atlin Harrigan Parliamentary Building being in a state of disrepair); and a Special Sitting of the House of Assembly at the Court House for tributes by past and present members.
From the Court House, on Friday, 25th May, the impressive funeral procession wended its way to St. Mary’s Anglican Church with Sir Emile’s body transported by carriage. The procession included uniformed personnel from the Royal Anguilla Police Force, the Police/Community Band, the Cadet Corps, Immigration, Customs, Her Majesty’s Prison, the Fire and Rescue Services, and the Boys Brigade Band.
The main tribute session at St. Mary’s was chaired by Mrs. Chanelle Petty Barrett, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Education. In her own tribute to Sir Emile, she said: “He treated each person with kindness and humanity. He exemplified the love of God in his life, leadership and service. As a nation, we are grateful for his work and sacrifice which have been instrumental in creating the quality of life that we enjoy today. In many ways, we are the beneficiaries of his legacy. When some saw a desert, he saw a tropical paradise; when some saw despair, he saw God’s Divine favour; when some saw obstacles, he saw a pathway littered with opportunities. He believed in the beauty and possibility of Anguilla and the Anguillian people; and being a good captain, he sailed Anguilla to the uncharted waters of modern development. We are thankful to his family for sharing him with us and understanding that he had to answer the call because he knew at that time, and, for a special purpose, Anguilla needed him.”
Mrs. Petty Barrett read two tributes – one from the Director General of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, Dr. Didacus Jules; and the other from the Prime Minister of St. Maarten, Lenora Marlin-Romeo, both of whom said they were unable to come to Anguilla for the Official Funeral.
Dr. Jules said: “Sir Emile is one of that generation of Caribbean elder statesmen who [was] often self-taught, widely read and critically minded, confronted the indignities of the Empire and asserted that we too were people of worth. His mission was to spark the fire of identity, to fan the flames of pride, to lead us to stand tall, walk straight and never on bended knee. He was a central figure in the early days of the Anguillian Revolution and was a Member of the Peace-Keeping Committee that steered Anguilla through turbulent waters to a peaceful transition of more self-assertive governance. Sir Emile was the second and longest-serving Chief Minster with thirteen years of service in accordance with the people’s mandate.
“An indelible characteristic of Sir Emile and his generation of post-Colonial leaders was their vision and foresight in creating institutional structures which have stood the test of time and laid deep the foundations of the prosperity and modernity that we now take for granted. Sir Emile’s mission in that regard was the groundwork done for the emergence of Anguilla as a five-star tourism destination. It took a five star imagination to envision in the destitute poverty of his time and place, a destination of prosperity and self-determination.”
Prime Minister Leona Marlin-Romeo of St. Maarten wrote: “On behalf of the Government and people of St. Maarten, I am indeed saddened to learn of the passing of former Chief Minister, Sir Emile Gumbs.
“From all indications, Sir Emile Gumbs was the cornerstone in the foundation of modern Anguilla. His contributions to the wellbeing of his people are forever documented in the history of Anguilla. I hereby convey condolences to the family, friends, the people and the Government of Anguilla, and I wish each of you much strength as we face this period of bereavement.”
Delivering a second tribute, in addition to one he published earlier, Anguilla Governor, Mr. Tim Foy, OBE, praised the former Chief Minister for his “long, distinguished and productive life of service;” for being “a man who truly put his country before self”; and “a man who took the time to listen”. He was pleased that the United Kingdom Government and Her Majesty the Queen had sent personal messages of condolences to Sir Emile’s family to whom he also extended his own.
Opposition Leader, Ms. Palmavon Webster, who also delivered previously-published tributes to Sir Emile, described him as having been “one of the towering politicians of our time.” She further stated: “No matter what was your ultimate view of him, his work impacted a generation and shaped this little island of ours. Sir Emile, who was knighted by the Queen, and was the only Anguillian to have received that honour, has been a true patriot to Anguilla. I stand here as a proud daughter of Island Harbour who was fortunate to have grown up at a time and generation when Sir Emile emerged. It was leaders like Sir Emile who instilled in us, as a people, that we can hold our heads high and take our rightful place in the world.”
The next tribute was delivered by the Senate President of the US Virgin Islands, the Honourable Myers Jackson, who led a delegation of eight officials to Anguilla. He stated in part: “Sir Emile was said to have had qualities which policy-makers strive to uphold: honesty, compassion, empathy – and having the ability to relate to people from all walks of life. This was the reputation that followed him to positions from Minister of Works, Communications and Tourism to the top Executive Officer in 1977 as your Chief Minister.” The Senator said his delegation’s attendance at the Official Funeral was due to the close relationship between Anguilla and the US Virgin Islands where many Anguillians have lived and worked over the years.
Another tribute bearer was Ms. Patricia Marshall, Sister-in Law of Lady Gumbs. A resident in London, she took the opportunity to read a message from Queen Elizabeth expressing condolences to Sir Emile’s widow and family.
The Formal Remembrance was delivered by Mr. David Carty, a close relative of Sir Emile. Among other things, he pointed out that Sir Emile, a sailor, along with a seamtress, (the late Mrs. Idalia Gumbs) and a teacher (the late Mrs. Albena Lake-Hodge), had run a stable and successful Government during a difficult period in Anguilla. His presentation is printed elsewhere in this edition of The Anguillian as part of the national record.
The Official Tribute on behalf of the Government and people of Anguilla was delivered by Chief Minister, Mr. Victor Banks. It is published in this issue of The Anguillian as was his first statement, in an earlier edition.
The officiating Clergy were the Rev. Dr. Wycherley Gumbs, Superintendent of the Anguilla Methodist Circuit, who delivered the sermon; the Rt. Rev. Errol Brooks of St. Mary’s Anglican Church; Methodist Ministers Rev. Joseph Lloyd; Rev. Dunstan Richardson; Rev. Wilmoth Hodge; and Fr. Paul of St. Gerard’s Roman Catholic Church.
Rev. Dr. Gumbs said Sir Emile loved his country so well that the lust for power, prestige and honour meant nothing to him. No large buildings bore his name and his life was simply one of selflessness. The Minister described Sir Emile as a peacemaker and hoped that Anguillians would take a page from his life. He said they should use it to build Anguilla, and the dawn of a new day, when selflessness becomes the way of life for all of us so that our children and their children’s children will inherit a goodly and Godly heritage. He also said there was a need to seek healing among ourselves and to pass on, to the coming generation, a sense of healing and forgiveness.
He added that “Sir Emile lived, served and loved and had left behind footprints on the sands of time. And in those footprints we can each attempt to put our feet and, by so doing, enlarge our capacity for goodness; enrich our children and our children’s children; and they in turn will call us blessed because, in blessing others, we are blessing ourselves as well.”
Earlier in the service, Sir Emile’s children, Lawrence Gumbs and Catherine Orchard, expressed their thanks and appreciation to all for their support and comforting words.
