Searchlight Logo
special_image

    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
Our Readers' Opinions
February 12, 2013

Candidate for National Hero status

Tue, Feb 12, 2013

Editor: The Right Honourable Robert Milton Cato, former Premier and Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, should be a candidate for national hero status. He was born on 3rd June, 1915 and died on 10th February, 1997, the son of James Robert Cato and Harriet Wilmore McHutchinson, formerly of Chili Village, in close proximity to Georgetown.{{more}}

The Right Honourable Robert Milton Cato attended the Dorsetshire Hill Primary School. He won a government scholarship to the St Vincent Grammar School in 1928. He joined the Canadian army, attaining the rank of sergeant during the second world war, and saw active service in France, Belgium and Germany. At the conclusion of the war, he was admitted to the Middle Temple University and called to the Bar in 1948. He returned to St Vincent later that year; he entered into private practice as a lawyer and soon began to take an active part in the political life of the country.

In 1955, Mr Cato organized the St Vincent Labour Party and following the success of his party at the polls in 1966, he became Chief Minister in that year until 1969, when as a result of the country becoming a state in association with Britain, he became the first premier, and in 1979, he became our first prime minister after leading the country into independence.

The Right Honourable Milton Cato was a member and later Chairman of the Kingstown Town Board and a former president of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association. He was an elected member for St Vincent and the Grenadines in the parliament of the short-lived Federation of the West Indies. Mr Cato became Chief Minister in 1966, was re-elected to that position in 1967 and led the Labour Party government until the election of 1972.
 
He was leader of the parliamentary opposition from 1972 to 1974;, then he was returned to government as Premier and in 1979 became our country’s first Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Planning, from 1979 to 1984, under the current Independence Constitution. And he retired from active politics in 1985 after the defeat of St Vincent Labour Party in the general election of 1984.

The Right Honourable Robert Milton Cato was a hero in his lifetime; two former political veterans sat at his feet and he had the wisdom and vision to take a humble farmer and shopkeeper Offord Morris by name, of Lowmans Wd to defeat two former giants in Vincentian politics, namely E.T. Joshua and Sir James Mitchell. Mr Cato laid the economic and educational foundation on which this nation now stands.

1. He nationalized the airport and seaport for his government to raise revenue to develop the poor.

2. He built the Nursing School and the Technical College.

3. The National Lottery for Sport and Culture is a symbol of his love and care for SVG youths.

4. His desire was to ensure every sportsman and sportswomen who represent St Vincent and the Grenadines be gainfully employed.

5. The Provident Fund, now National Insurance Service.

6. The National Commercial Bank, now Bank of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

7. His home building programme gives sustenance to a new emerging middle class.

8. His effort to diversify around agriculture, pioneer Offshore Banking and Resort Tourism.

9. His electrification and industrialization programme, like Campden Park Industrial site, gives us a modern transportation system.

Mr Cato’s political, economical and social programme reflect his national democratic socialist philosophy, a character of ambition and drive to give service to his country: he is our father of independence. The Right Honourable Robert Milton Cato deceased truly deserves consideration as a candidate for National Hero status.

John Thompson and Edgar Lewis

  • FacebookComments
  • ALSO IN THE NEWS
    Magnitude 6.7 Earthquake Felt Across the Eastern Caribbean
    News
    Magnitude 6.7 Earthquake Felt Across the Eastern Caribbean
    Forrest 
    October 27, 2025
    Vincentians reported experiencing earth tremors this morning. A magnitude 6.7 earthquake was recorded northeast of the Lesser Antilles at approximatel...
    Tarmac Takeover Night Stage Results
    News
    Tarmac Takeover Night Stage Results
    Forrest 
    October 27, 2025
    Motorsport fans gathered for another successful staging of the Tarmac Takeover: Night Stage , organized by Hyperspeed and 784Streetz . The event featu...
    Police Issue Statement on Military Aircraft activity Ahead of Independence Day Celebrations
    News
    Police Issue Statement on Military Aircraft activity Ahead of Independence Day Celebrations
    Forrest 
    October 27, 2025
    The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) has issued the following statement in the wake of public comments regarding recent airc...
    PM Gonsalves requests prayers as Category-4 storm approaches Jamaica
    News
    PM Gonsalves requests prayers as Category-4 storm approaches Jamaica
    Forrest 
    October 27, 2025
    As Jamaica braces for a direct hit from Hurricane Melissa, Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsavles has urged Vincentians to pray for the country and for th...
    Top students receive awards
    Front Page
    Top students receive awards
    Webmaster 
    October 24, 2025
    STAND OUT STUDENTS in the 2025 Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE), as well as those who excelled in Associate Degree programmes offere...
    Eighty-four North Windward residents receive title deeds
    Front Page
    Eighty-four North Windward residents receive title deeds
    Webmaster 
    October 24, 2025
    EIGHTY-FOUR TITLE DEEDS were handed out to residents in communities north of the Rabacca dry river on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at Orange Hill, but...
    News
    Magnitude 6.7 Earthquake Felt Across the Eastern Caribbean
    News
    Magnitude 6.7 Earthquake Felt Across the Eastern Caribbean
    Forrest 
    October 27, 2025
    Vincentians reported experiencing earth tremors this morning. A magnitude 6.7 earthquake was recorded northeast of the Lesser Antilles at approximatel...
    Tarmac Takeover Night Stage Results
    News
    Tarmac Takeover Night Stage Results
    Forrest 
    October 27, 2025
    Motorsport fans gathered for another successful staging of the Tarmac Takeover: Night Stage , organized by Hyperspeed and 784Streetz . The event featu...
    Police Issue Statement on Military Aircraft activity Ahead of Independence Day Celebrations
    News
    Police Issue Statement on Military Aircraft activity Ahead of Independence Day Celebrations
    Forrest 
    October 27, 2025
    The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) has issued the following statement in the wake of public comments regarding recent airc...
    PM Gonsalves requests prayers as Category-4 storm approaches Jamaica
    News
    PM Gonsalves requests prayers as Category-4 storm approaches Jamaica
    Forrest 
    October 27, 2025
    As Jamaica braces for a direct hit from Hurricane Melissa, Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsavles has urged Vincentians to pray for the country and for th...
    Health Psychologist advises Vincentians to get medically insured
    News
    Health Psychologist advises Vincentians to get medically insured
    Webmaster 
    October 24, 2025
    By: JADA CHAMBERS AS BREAST CANCER Awareness Month nears its end, Health Psychologist Jozelle Miller, is advising Vincentians to get medical insurance...

    E-EDITION
    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store
    Subscribe Now
    • Interactive Media Ltd. • P.O. Box 152 • Kingstown • St. Vincent and the Grenadines • Phone: 784-456-1558 © Copyright Interactive Media Ltd.. All rights reserved.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok