Notwithstanding the gruesomeness of her killing, and the sadness of the occasion, many of her Taitu Goodwin’s mourners turned up in bright attire at the Memorial Service, for her, at the family’s request.
The heart-wrenching and solemn event was held at the Mount Fortune Seventh-day Adventist Church on Sunday, September 22. That was some weeks after the 27-year-old highly-educated Trade and Investment Officer, in the Anguilla Ministry of Finance, was found murdered at Windward Point at the eastern end of the island.
Premier and Minister of Finance, Mr. Victor Banks, was among officials from the Governor’s Office and the Government of Anguilla who were especially welcomed at the memorial service by newly-appointed SDA Minister, Pastor Howard Simon. Mr. Banks, who led the tributes, said in part: “I am here because my colleagues in the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development, Investment, Commerce and Tourism selected me to present, on their behalf, some expression of condolence to the family and friends of Taitu – especially her parents… and her siblings.
“Taitu was a beautiful young woman – physically, mentally and attitudinally. She came to our Ministry approximately one year ago and won the heart of everyone without exception. I must admit that I cannot recall ever hearing of Taitu before she took up her post – even though I must have heard of her many achievements as a passing mention over the years. However, I believe that since her untimely passing, I am beginning to learn more and more. For most of you here, I will not need to recount those achievements because, like me, I am sure you have also come to learn more about this beautiful and talented young lady over the last two weeks. Indeed, it is hard to fathom how much Taitu has accomplished in her short life. Everyone with who she came into contact could not help but be impressed by this multi-talented young lady.
“As Trade and Investment Officer, she was selected for a position for which she was eminently qualified. I believe the Public Service Commission was in good form when it appointed her…Her job required that from time to time she had to make presentations at Executive Council which comprises the Governor, Deputy Governor, Attorney General and members of Government. And on every occasion that she came, she impressed us with her professionalism and her presentation. Her job also required that she negotiate with investors and their representatives wanting to do business in Anguilla – and on more than one occasions investors would offer to hire her. On a personal note, I feel blessed that on the Thursday before she passed I decided to call Taitu to my office to commend her for a piece of work that the Permanent Secretary, in his absence, had asked her to draft for my review. It was so well presented that I felt moved to commend her face to face and let her know how much I appreciated her work…”
Deputy Governor, Mr. Perin Bradely, who has responsibility for the Anguilla Public Service, joined Premier Banks in speaking highly about Taitu. He said that from conversations he had heard from his wife, Mrs. Hyacinth Bradley and Taitu’s mother, Mrs. Elijah, he had gathered that “Taitu was a very bright, intelligent, ambitious and hard-working young lady.” He went on: “Indeed, with the resume that she had, she could have gone anywhere in the world to work but she chose to come back to Anguilla [after her studies] to give her time and talents.”
Mr. Bradley spoke about the challenges and demands of Taitu’s job, how very well she had handled her responsibilities and how she should be commended for her work.
The tributes were led by fellow employees and members of the Government’s Protocol Team, Juclicia Connor and Tana Nelson-Connor. A number of individuals and groups joined in paying tribute to Taitu, a former Miss Anguilla Pageant winner. The groups included the Nbingi Drummers, the Anguilla Netball Association and the Klassique Dancers.
Taitu’s distraught mother a former teacher, Mrs. Elijah, accompanied at the podium by her husband, Ras Elijah, and Njeri Goodwin, one of her nine children, struggled to deliver the Formal Remembrance but eventually managed to do so very well. The mother, who moved from Antigua tio Anguilla with her children in 2006, recounted her daughter’s professional and social pursuits and achievements as appeared in the brochure for the memorial service.
Speaking off script, she said in part: “To the family of the young man who did this to my girl, let me just say this: “I hold no malice. There is no hate in my heart. My heart is so clean [that] I have no space for hate in my heart. I forgive you. Please forgive yourself…”’
The ‘sermonette’ was delivered by Pastor Howard Simon, a recently-appointed SDA Minister who knew Taitu’s mother and other members of her family in Antigua. In a forceful and comforting message, he called to memory the Biblical account of Job who lost all his possessions, including his children, but whose faith and dependence on God stood the test of time followed by the restoration of all he had. He also commented on the brevity of life.
“I must say to you, Mrs. Elijah, that I found you to be an honourable woman,” the Pastor told her. “When I spoke to you earlier in the week, I found that there was no hatred and there seemed to be forgiveness.” But he added that her daughter’s cruel death “was a burden that no parent wants to bear. It’s a burden so heavy when you have to bury one of your own…The burden is heavy but I have come by to tell you that there is One who can help you with your burden – Jesus Christ…”
Following the Memorial Service, the body of the late Taitu Goodwin was returned to Moran’s Alternative Affordable Funeral and Cremation Services to be transported later to Antigua, the deceased’s birthplace. The funeral will be held there, at the Ebenezer Methodist Church, on Monday, September 30. Taitu’s father, Mr. Bruce Goodwin, a former Antigua and Barbuda Ambassador to Cuba, resides there.
