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by pltm
(PLTM) - Three local stalwarts will be awarded the BVI's Badge of Honour---Dr. Patricia G. Turnbull, Rubena Matthias-Fraser and Mr. Terrance 'Chino' Chinnery.
Government announced that Governor John Duncan, after consultation with the Premier, Hon. Dr. D. Orlando Smith and the then Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Julian Fraser, accepted the recommendation of the BVI Honours Committee.
The Badges of Honour will be presented to the recipients at an Investiture Ceremony at Government House and the names of the recipients will be published in the official gazette.
Dr. Turnbull is a long-standing stalwart of the Virgin Islands literary landscape. She is a dynamic teacher and an energetic cultural scholar committed to encouraging creative work in Virgin Islands history, language and literature.
Dr. Turnbull’s contributions to BVI society extend beyond the classroom. In 2012, Dr. Turnbull published Can These Stones Talk? - the culmination of a five-year public memory research project to investigate the history of the ruins of St. Philip’s Church and the African settlement at Kingstown, while addressing her own response to that history.
She strongly believes that as the Virgin Islands look towards a promising future, it must hold in collective remembrance the lessons of the past.
She held numerous voluntary public lectures on the new findings about the church and the settlement, which gave the Virgin Islands community a greater interest and understanding of the lives lived by the freed or liberated Africans in the Virgin Islands in the nineteenth and early twentieth century.
Dr. Turnbull was described as an outstanding citizen who has contributed to our understanding of ourselves and our place in the world as Virgin Islanders.
Mrs. Matthias-Fraser is a dedicated Virgin Islander who lives her life by the bible verse, “It is more blessed to give than to receive."
Mrs. Matthias-Fraser devoted her life to the Sea Cow’s Bay Methodist Church and through that avenue she gave freely of her time and talent to the BVI community.
Because of her propensity to care and show appreciation, Mrs. Matthias-Fraser recognized the need for assistance with meals in the community, and she began a soup kitchen which became an Outreach Ministry for the church.
She initially took on the sole responsibility for the purchasing, preparing and delivering soup to the elderly and the less fortunate persons in the community. She never hesitated with her generosity as she worked hard with numerous fundraisers for the church.
Mrs. Matthias-Fraser is highly valued in the community of Sea Cow’s Bay and throughout the Territory of the Virgin Islands for her willingness to give and to serve the needy and the less fortunate.
Meanwhile, Chinnery, who is known as Chico, is a dedicated BVIslander who devoted his life to fostering and mentoring the youths of the Virgin Islands through sports leadership. Mr. Chinnery volunteered his time teaching and coaching children throughout this Territory as he was seen daily in the afternoons on the field training students into early evenings.
Through his willingness to give back to his country, he nurtured a network of coaches and recruiters to create opportunities for the promising players of these Virgin Islands. Many young men and women have benefitted from his efforts, such as personally financing the travel and accommodation expenses of sports scouts, coaches and players, in his pursuit of tertiary academic opportunities for his players.
He was also instrumental in recommending scholarships from the USA for persons to further their career in sports while obtaining a college degree.
As a fruit of Mr. Chinnery’s unwavering labour in positively moulding the youths of the Virgin Islands, most of these students gained a tertiary education in various areas and are now prominent citizens of this community.
In 2012, Mr. Chinnery was named CIBC First Caribbean Bank Unsung Hero of the Virgin Islands for his selfless drive and vision in pursuit of securing the best future for the young people that came under his wing. In 2014, he also was awarded the Unsung Hero Award from the New Life Baptist Church.
He is a rare Virgin Islands gem who continues to shine in “Natures Little Secret”.
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