|
BVI Badge of Honour recipients with the Governor and his Wife- (L-R) Mr. Arthur Swain, Mr. Edwin George, Mrs. Veronica Savage (the Governor’s wife) Dr. Pearl Varlack and His Excellency the Governor Mr. Frank Savage [GIS photo] THREE RECEIVE BVI BADGE OF HONOUR Chairperson of the BVI Badge of Honours Committee, Ms. Dancia Penn, announced that Dr. Varlack was being recognised for “distinguished services in education and socio-historical research,” Mr. Swain for “pioneering services in the field of telecommunication,” and Mr. George for “pioneering and entrepreneurial services in inter-island transportation and related fields.” Speaking at the ceremony, the Governor noted that the BVI Badge of Honour is the only honour that the community of the British Virgin Islands has for recognising outstanding members of the community. Governor Savage said Her Majesty the Queen has been pleased to approve the award for residents of the BVI who, if they are public servants, have rendered or may render “loyal and valuable service worthy of special recognition” or, for those who are not public servants, have by their “loyalty and meritorious conduct been of exceptional benefit to the people of the British Virgin Islands.” Recipients were identified and recommended by the BVI Honours Committee. The members of the Committee are: Miss Dancia Penn, O.B.E., Q.C. - Chairperson Hon. Reuben Vanterpool Mr. Elton Georges, O.B.E. Mrs. Eugenie Todman-Smith, O.B.E. Ms. Myrtle Reese Mr.Elihu Rhymer Pastor Comet Chalwell, representing the BVI Christian Council, Mr. Carl Dawson, representing the BVI Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association Dr. Pearl I. Varlack Born and raised on Anegada, Dr. Varlack, the last of six children of Anna and Ludwick Varlack, began and interrupted her career in education as a pupil teacher in 1947. Following graduation from the St. Kitts-Nevis Girls’ High School in 1950 her employment over the next 18 years ranged from assistant teacher and head teacher/principal in Anegada and Road Town Schools to Supervisor of Primary Schools (acting) and teacher in the Virgin Islands Secondary School. During this period she earned a First Class certificate from Erdiston College (Barbados), the Professional Certificate in Education from the University of the West Indies, and a Master of Arts degree in education administration from Inter American University of Puerto Rico. For a few of these years she was the elected representative of the Teachers Association on the Board of Education. Relocating to St Thomas in 1968, Dr Varlack joined the faculty of the University of the Virgin Islands after two years as an associate in its Caribbean Research Institute, assisting in examining the relationships between the British and United States Virgins. During her tenure at UVI Dr Varlack earned a Master of Arts degree in social and personality psychology from the New School for Social Research and the doctor of philosophy degree in higher education and educational psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. At UVI she progressed to the rank of Professor of Education and chaired the Division of Education for 10 years on an intermittent basis. In this last position she served on a Commission on Education established and charged by statute with evaluating the public school system of the Virgin Islands of the United States. On retirement in 1999 “the distinguished status of Professor Emeritus” was “conveyed upon” her in appreciation of her service to the university. Dr Varlack has authored articles on Virgin Islands history and a monograph on teacher education, Beyond the Carbon Copy; she has co-authored booklets on the history of both British and United States Virgin Islands as well as Virgin Islands Story, the first comprehensive history of the Virgin Islands (now out of print). As historiographer of the Episcopal Diocese of the Virgin Islands she is presently engaged in preparing a diocesan history. One of the founding members of the League of British Virgin Islanders of St. Thomas - St. John she serves as its public relations officer and chairs its scholarship committee. As a founding trustee of the Frederick Pickering Memorial Foundation she has been its executive director for the past ten years. Mr. Arthur Swain When hurricane Donna struck the British Virgin Islands on Monday 5th September 1960, the Government Radiotelephone Systems were rendered totally inoperative and the BVI was without communications with the rest of the world. Mr. Arthur Swain, International Aeradio (London) Ltd. Radio Engineer, arrived in the British Virgin Islands on October 6th 1960 to restore the systems. Later he installed the first telephone system in the BVI, a radiotelegraph system with Cable & Wireless (Antigua) Ltd. and “Tortola Radio” which “patched” our sister islands and BVI businesses into the local and International telephone systems. In July 1967, Cable & Wireless officially took over the Government Telecommunications and Arthur Swain joined the company as a VHF Radio Technician. His duties included the installation and maintenance of Government telecommunications equipment. He then served 14 years as Government Telecommunications Officer in the Ministry Of Communications & Works, followed by 10 years as Emergency Telecommunications Officer in the Office Of Disaster Preparedness. He is a founding member of the BVI Radio League and has devoted much time and effort instructing others in the science of radio communications. He has, in fact, been dubbed the “Founding Father of the BVI Telecommunications Industry.” Mr. Edwin George Edwin George, best known as Speedy, was born in Virgin Gorda to Mr. Allan and the late Mrs. Ella George. Edwin attended school at St. Mary’s in The Valley, Virgin Gorda. Upon leaving school, Edwin worked with his father on his boats delivering cargo between the British and United States Virgin Islands. He then migrated to St. Thomas to seek employment and worked as a Mechanic for quite a few years. He then returned home and worked with Taylor Woodrow as a Truck Driver and Mechanic. He continued to work with his father part time. He also worked with Little Dix Bay Hotel for a while and then decided to ambitiously start his own business. He then made his first purchase of an old jeep and started a
driving school. His next investment was yet another vehicle, this time a car, which became
known as “Speedy’s Pair we’ll get you there”. The business continued
to expand with a small garage. Edwin then ventured a little further and purchased a 31ft.
Bertram, “Speedy’s Adventure”, which served as a means of transportation
between the British and the United States Virgin Islands. He loves his native Virgin Gorda and has certainly made a
difference in the transportation industry. His work is not finished, however, as he
continues to visualize the potentials and the many goals still to be accomplished. Copyrighted © 2002
by SUN ENTERPRISES (B.V.I.) LTD. |
