Edghill honoured

Former Member of Parliament (MP) for Christ Church West Central, Joseph “Joe” Edghill was honoured in a special way recently when a play park was renamed in his honour.

The Park, now called the Joseph ‘Joe’ Edghill Play Park’, is situated in Gall Hill, Christ Church. The renaming was done to commemorate his over 14 years of service to the constituency and the country.

Edghill’s wife, Angela Edghill and family members were in attendance for the occasion. Also present were several MPs including the current Member of Parliament for Christ Church West Central and Minister of Youth and Community Empowerment, Adrian Forde.

In his address, Forde said that “Joe Edghill” was a household name and he has influenced the lives of many persons in the constituency and the parish. He spoke about the role Edghill played not only as a politician but as a pharmacist, where he ran two pharmacies in Oistins. He additionally highlighted the assistance he gave to football teams within the community.

Forde also highlighted the role Edghill played in his own life in the area of pharmacy and in encouraging him to become a politician. He described the former MP as someone who practiced the “tenants of hard work, discipline and selflessness.” He stated Edghill’s “presence, your spirit, selfless philanthropic nature will always be embed in Christ Church West Central and there izs always a place for you here amongst the good people of Christ Church West Central who always have that love and respect in their hearts for Joe.”

Also addressing the audience and delivering remarks on behalf of Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley was Education Minister, Santia Bradshaw. She stated it is always important to recognise the good work on an individual when they are still alive and in a position to hear what is being said about them. She thanked the former Christ Church West Central representative for the work he did from 1994 to 2008 when he was in office.

“To Joe, I just want to say thank you from the bosom of the Barbados Labour Party for being someone who as a politician has been honest and truthful, transparent, has been an excellent community leader, someone who all of us as young politicians can look up to, someone who I believe has basically set the bar high so that all of us have something to look forward to and a legacy that we can fulfill.”

During last Friday’s renaming ceremony, awards were presented to persons who have made invaluable contributions to the constituency. The awardees were Hilda Howell, Calvin ‘Cully’ Chase, Marva Hunte, Cedric Nicholls, Leroy Husbands and Eyrie Sealy.

Sealy, who is the former club captain and coach of the Pride of Gall Hill Football Club, in his tribute to Edghill spoke fondly of the work he did with that club and the Hampton Club. He also used the occasion to remind residents of the Gall Hill and surrounding areas to treat the play park with care. He urged them not to see it as government property but their property and to maintain it.(MG)