St Andrew’s Parish Independence Committee has unveiled a portrait in tribute to a native son – National Hero Right Excellent Sir Hugh Springer.
In a ceremony at the A Dacosta Edwards Primary School in Belleplaine, the 2024 St Andrew Parish Ambassadors Shontee Taylor and Tadeo Williams presented a painting of Sir Hugh to the school, 40 years after he was appointed the island’s fourth governor-general.
Reflecting on Sir Hugh’s life and contributions to national development, St Andrew MP Dr Romel Springer hailed the legendary lawyer, politician and international public servant’s unwavering spirit and determination to prove that he could achieve success despite the myriad challenges of Black people in the early 1900s.
“He demonstrated in the way he lived his life the power of resilience and the indelible spirit that resides in each and every one of us,” he said. “It’s important to recognise the significance of his legacy and the lessons that he imparted on us. Today is not merely an act of remembrance. It is a powerful symbol of gratitude, unity and resilience. Sir Hugh, through his unwavering courage, his selflessness and his dedication, left a mark on all of us as a people and certainly as a St Andrew folk. His sacrifices and his strengths have paved the way for the freedoms and the opportunities that we all as Barbadians enjoy today.”
Springer added that Sir Hugh, born in 1913 and raised in St Andrew, experienced difficulties in his educational pursuits, especially when he travelled to England to study and become a teacher.
“He soon realised that with the colour of his skin, he could never be a teacher in England . . . . He had to abandon that particular dream, but that did not stop him from excelling, that did not stop him from pursuing his academic career . . . . He went on to become a lawyer and was called to the bar at London’s Inner Temple back in 1938. [When he returned], he taught at Codrington College . . . . [He went on to be] the Secretary General of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, which was the peak of academia at that time. He [also] served as the United Nations College Director [and] . . . in 1984 he was appointed as Barbados’ Governor General.
“I think this represents a beacon of hope and inspiration for present and future generations of St Andrew folk and Barbadians as a whole. By commemorating and remembering his contribution, we can affirm our commitment to preserving the values and principles which he stood for. We honour his courage in the face of adversity, his compassion for the disadvantaged, and his unwavering belief in the betterment of society.”
Sir Hugh, a prominent lawyer, politician, and public servant made significant contributions to the labour movement, education, and governance of Barbados and the Caribbean region. A co-founder of the Barbados Progressive League, a precursor to the Barbados Labour Party, he served as the first General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union.
Sir Hugh held various prestigious positions in tertiary education, including Registrar of the University College of the West Indies, Assistant Secretary-General (Education) at the Commonwealth Secretariat, and Secretary-General of the Association of Commonwealth Universities.
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