Recognition is due to Claude Samuel

Editor: This month is referred to as the Heritage month. A month in which we salute and celebrate our heroes and our own heritage. To this date, there is still one National Hero, in the person of Joseph Chatoyer.

While I do not intend in this article to recommend anyone for national hero, I want us to remember and honour someone who has made his mark and little is known of him. He is, Mr. Claude Samuel.

Mr. Samuel who on the 28th of February this year, celebrated his 91st birthday, is a North Leeward man.

Mr. Samuel who came from humble beginnings and worked his way up has made his mark on this nation, but little is known about him and has not relieved any Queen’s award and recognition, except in November 2019, when he was given recognition by the Bank of SVG as its first general manager. He was given a plaque by the bank.

It was Mr. Samuel’s recommendation to have a National Bank. He made that recommendation to Mr. Milton Cato of the SVG Labour Part, which was the government of the day- bearing in mind that at those times, it was the white colonials that controlled the financial institutions. So, the opening of the National Commercial Bank was historical in that, it was now a locally owned bank and not one controlled by the colonials. The bank began operation in 1977. He was the first General Manager of the bank, but was relieved of his post during the James Mitchell reign.

He was also the brain child of the National Provident Fund. This again came into effect during the time of the late Milton Cato and his Labour Party. The National Provident Fund began in 1970 and Mr. Claude Samuel was the first Director. The NPF is now the National Insurance Services (NIS).
Today, we have seen the success of the BOSVG. This bank is a rebranding of the National Commercial Bank, so we would not have the BOSVG, if we did not have the National Commercial Bank. So, we owe a great debt of gratitude to Mr. Claude Samuel.

So, while he is still alive and in good sense and memory, I strongly recommend as a recognition to his pioneer in Banking that the Chateaubelair branch of the BOSVG be named after him. There, also should be plaque placed in the branch of that Bank of Mr. Claude Samuel.

More in-depth information can be had from an article appearing in The Vincentian Newspaper of October, 20, 2023.

Mr. Claude Samuel one of our local heroes. As a North Leeward resident, I am proud of him and I salute you Sir. You have done well.

Kennard King