The life and death of the Right Excellent Paramount Chief Joseph Chatoyer must not only serve to remind Vincentians of their proud past, but inspire them to continue in the same spirit of defiance and determination.

 So said Leader of the Opposition Dr Godwin Friday, while delivering remarks at the annual wreath laying ceremony to commemorate national hero the Right Excellent Paramount Chief Joseph Chatoyer on Tuesday at Dorsetshire Hill.

 “…The life and death of Chatoyer and the struggle that we honour here today must serve not only to educate and remind us of our proud past, it must also and perhaps more importantly inspire us to continue in the same spirit of defiance, in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles with the same determination to defend, build and promote our country now and into the future,” Friday stated.

 He added that he believes that we must all exhibit the courage to be a hero for St Vincent and the Grenadines.

 “What it means is for each of us to be a hero in our own homes, to be a good husband and father, a good wife and mother. It means making the family as it should be – a unit of strength and support and to take the experience further into our own communities, into our villages, islands and indeed into our entire nation.”

 Friday added that being a hero also means seeking ways do good in our daily lives, not just for ourselves, but for strangers as well.

 “For example, where there is an obvious need to meet in our communities… you take the lead, you do it, or at least you start and others will join in, inspired by your good example. We can also be heroes where we work. Teachers, for example, have limitless opportunities to shine as heroes in the classroom and to inspire young people always to reach their full potential,” he pointed out.

 Friday said that he is sure that Vincentians can think of ways to show that they have the courage to become heroes.

 “…Today, perhaps more than any other day in our national calendar, should cause us all to reflect on how we lead our lives as fellow travellers in this beautiful and blessed land of ours,” the Opposition Leader said.

 “Today, National Heroes’ Day, calls on us to step beyond the ordinary and to consider how extraordinary each of us can be in shaping our own lives, in building our communities into places of support, harmony, enlightenment and in making our country the best it can be and in so doing, we can truly say that we are indeed worthy of this beautiful land that God has so generously entrusted to us.”