Former General Secretary of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) Joseph Goddard, who once served as Barbados’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations, was remembered on Tuesday as a devoted family man and national figure, recognised for his significant contributions to the country during his career.
Goddard, who died on September 4 at the age of 82, was laid to rest following a service at the Church of the Holy Trinity in St Philip.
His daughter Tanya, in delivering the appreciation, described him as “an exceptional man who lived an extraordinary life that is worth being celebrated”. She reflected on his early days, particularly in the 1970s, when he returned to Barbados and began his role as Deputy General Secretary of the union that would eventually become the NUPW.
“My dad truly found his passion during that time,” she said. “He was the union, and the union was him.”
Tanya recounted how her father spent his days advocating for the rights of public workers, while discussions at home often centred around issues like paternity leave and the Social Partnership, topics which were not widely embraced at the time.
“My dad fought for workers’ rights with an indomitable spirit,” she added, recalling his relentless dedication to the cause. “Whether it was being escorted out of Parliament for allegedly wearing a denim shirt jack or scaling the walls of a public office when they wouldn’t let him in to represent workers, he was undeterred in his devotion to public service.”
The officiating minister, Reverend Canon Dr Monrelle Williams, in his homily, likened the late advocate to the biblical Isaiah – a leader who faced resistance from those he sought to guide, but who persevered in his mission nonetheless.
“Joseph Goddard found his purpose in life,” Canon Williams said. “He understood that it wasn’t about self-promotion but about serving others. He was committed to justice and workers’ rights, and despite the frustrations and challenges, he persevered because he recognised the importance of his work.”
Canon Williams also reminded the congregation that true service is measured not by outward displays of faith but by selfless acts.
“Joseph Goddard served others, and through his service, he served God,” he said.
Goddard is credited with modernising the operations of the NUPW and spearheading the establishment of the Public Workers Academy in the mid-1980s. He led the union through some of the most difficult periods in the nation’s history, including the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the eight per cent salary cut for public servants during the economic structural adjustment programme of 1991 under the Erskine Sandiford administration.
In addition to his work with the NUPW, Goddard was a prominent figure in the regional labour movement. He served as General Secretary of the Caribbean Public Services Association (CPSA) and was a long-standing trustee of the Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL) from 1983. His influence also extended to the local Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB), where he served on the board. (SM)
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