Final Farewell

“TO be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord.”

This was the comforting reminder and Biblical perspective the Reverend Michael Crichlow of Trinity Outreach Ministries International shared on the occasion of the Official Funeral of Harold Fitzherbert Hoyte, Co-Founder and Editor Emeritus of the Nation Publishing Co. Limited, on location at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex yesterday.

Local dignitaries, including Governor General of Barbados, Her Excellency Dame Sandra Mason; Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Amor Mottley; members of her Cabinet and Parliamentarians, as well as hundreds of Barbadians turned out to pay their final respects to the man described as a “journalism giant and media titan”. Mourners, who filed past Hoyte’s open casket to get a glimpse of him for the final time, offered words of comfort to his widow Noreen, children Harold “Bobby” Hoyte, Tracy Hoyte-Jones and step-daughter Jalesa Kinch, as well as sisters Sheila Brewster, Colleen Brennan, Gloria Harvey and other relatives, as well as present Nation staff.

It was during his brief sermon that Hoyte’s pastor, Reverend Crichlow, told those gathered that Hoyte, who served faithfully on one of the leadership committees at Trinity, was a man of tremendous faith, who loved God, who loved his fellowman and who promoted the concept of country above self. He stressed that the nation of Barbados could be completely transformed, if only persons would learn from Hoyte’s example.

“Harold loved the Lord. I saw a different side of Harold than the public saw. He loved his family and he loved his country. He loved Barbados. He was a nation builder. He also loved the wider Caribbean,” Rev. Crichlow said on reflection.

“Over the past few years, Harold would come to my office, always making an appointment for one hour. Those turned out to be one-on-one sessions with his pastor, as he shared from his heart. As he talked about his beloved Barbados, tears would come to his eyes and his voice would crack. He was deeply hurt by the decline in behaviour exhibited by some of his fellow countrymen. He would reflect on the Barbados of yesteryear, and ask questions such as what has happened to our love for each other, what has happened to treating others the way you want them to treat you? What has happened to our love for our communities? What has happened to our love for country,” Crichlow revealed.

He added, “And this was a big one with him and we discussed this on numerous occasions. What has happened to so many of our fellow countrymen, that they no longer feel compelled to put love for country before love for self or any particular group, and are no longer prepared to go the extra mile for the good of the country, failing to realise that a rising tide rises all ships?”

“Today, as we give thanks for the life of our brother Harold, can I make a suggestion? A suggestion that this society can be transformed, if we had more Harold Hoytes. Transformed if we had more persons who would develop a loving relationship with God. Transformed if we had more persons who would develop a loving relationship with their fellow brothers and sisters and transformed if we had more persons who would develop a love for our country Barbados,” the Reverend further commented.

“This nation has a great future, but we need to get back to the old value of love for God, love for each other, love for our communities and love for our country,” Crichlow concluded.

Hoyte, who passed away on May 12, 2019 at the age of 77, was interred at the Coral Ridge Memorial Gardens. (RSM)