Saying Goodbye to Sir Frederick

ON WEDNESDAY hundreds of Vincentians, diplomats and friends of Sir Frederick packed the Methodist Church to bid farewell to an outstanding Vincentian who served as the country’s Governor General for just under 17 years.

Sir Frederick was not only governor general but a cardiologist who at one time was the only one in the country. He served too as Chief Medical Officer.

He was a businessman, a philanthropist, one who even when he retired from his medical practice did a lot to assist the country’s medical services. He was passionate about education as his children testifi ed at his funeral. For his hometown, Layou, he paid particular attention to assisting schools and needy children, but this went beyond Layou. He was a patriot and loved and served his country dearly.

Persons in attendance at the funeral service, and those who followed by television, radio and social media would have been aware that the two large chandeliers in the Church were donated by him after being sourced through his foreign contacts.

Although he was given a State Funeral as befitting one that held the office of governor general with distinction, he was more than that to many who knew him. Oscar Cadogan who built his coffin, spoke to the media about the assistance he got from Sir Frederick who helped him in developing his business and always ensured that he had jobs. It needs to be pointed out that his coffin was built of breadfruit wood that Cadogan said had been fully cured for a number of years. This really bears testimony to the kind of man he was, to his humility and maybe meant to send a message about the extremely high cost of coffins today.

I first knew about Sir Frederick, or Freddie as he was known by his friends through an article that appeared in the Flambeau magazine in 1966. Sir Frederick was one of the early members of the Kingstown Study group that produced that magazine. But I raise this to remind us of an historical incident that many might not know or have forgotten. That article was entitled “Helliwell’s contribution to St Vincent”. Who was Helliwell?

He was the editor of “The People” magazine of England who had written a series of articles on St Vincent. He pictured us, according to Freddie, “as a most uncivilized people, lazy and malnourished

with an over-population of protein-deficient children whose only succulent meal was a dish of cockroaches”. The article was obviously meant to sell his paper, but the net result was that the country got a pasteurized milk plant, which Sir Frederick described as a “Trojan Horse”, while doing a serious critique of Helliwell’s articles.

Sir Frederick, I was told by a classmate of his, Kenneth John, played cricket in school, serving as batsman and fast bowler. He was, moreover, a patron of the arts. The governor general’s residence during his period in office was the venue for many cultural activities. Jazz and poetry and other musical genre were featured, and musical icon Pat Prescod honoured. It was open to activities by private groups, featuring tea parties and concerts. Sir Frederick will be remembered most for his efforts to get medical specialists to SVG and his work in the formation of the World Pediatric Programme that brings six teams of specialists annually, performing surgical procedures on children and providing access to the United States for cases that could not be treated here. The story of this project really needs special treatment.

Quite often you respect and pay tribute to persons because of the offices they hold, but this was not so in his case. For me and others, his office mattered little. What mattered was his humility, his easy access, his relationship with the poor and marginalized and the way he related to people generally. The sermon at his funeral service was done by a close friend, Monty Maule. In his sermon Monty painted him in symbolic and allegorical terms as a Saint. A Saint he told us was someone of the people, who like all human beings, had weaknesses, and acknowledged them but was selfless in how he lived his life and served his people. In tune with his sermon was the song “When Saints go Marching In” that was played as the body left the church accompanied by family, dignitaries and people paying their last respect.

● Dr Adrian Fraser is a social commentator and historian