NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (November 05, 2020) — Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis, has expressed condolences on behalf of the Office of the Premier and the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) to two families on what he termed the untimely passing of Mrs. Judy Williams-Hanley of Bath Village and Mr. Jesroy Mulcaire of Zion Village.
Mr. Brantley was at the time seeking the adjournment of a sitting of the Nevis Island Assembly at Hamilton House on Thursday, November 05, 2020. Mrs. Williams-Hanley at the time of her passing earlier in the day was an employee at the Department of Labour. Mr. Mulcaire was an employee at a ferry service which operates between Nevis and St. Kitts.
“Please allow me on the occasion of the adjournment to express my very deep condolences to the family of the late Judy Williams-Hanley from Bath. We all rose this morning to the very sad news that there as a terrible accident that cost her life…I know her husband very well. I know the entire family very well, my very, very deep condolences on this untimely loss.
“I also since I am on my feet would like to express to my very good friend Ms. Mulcaire in Zion, again, the condolences of the Office of the Premier and the Nevis Island Administration on the loss of her young son, a young man I knew very well, a young man who aspired to be a pilot, and one with whom I had had several conversations in that vein. I know he meant so much to his mother, and I would want her to know that our thoughts and our prayers are with her in this very difficult period,” he said.
The Premier acknowledged that though death is inevitable, when it comes suddenly it is difficult to comprehend.
“We recognise that it is a date that most of us will have to meet but when it comes suddenly, and it comes to people who are young or otherwise in good health, even more grievously than when it comes and we are in our old age…
“Perhaps these deaths, if there is anything we can take from them, is to remind us of our own mortality and remind us of our need, whilst we are still alive to be kind to each other, to be our brother’s keeper and our sister’s helper and to do the very best that we can to make Nevis the best possible place it can be…I trust that the families can be comforted by all of our prayers in this very, very difficult period for them,” he said.
Mr. Brantley was not the only member at the Assembly offering condolences. Hon. Spencer Brand under whose portfolio the Department of Labour falls had this to say:
“I rise with a saddened heart… We were awoken this morning of the tragic news of the passing of one of my employees at the Nevis Labour Department Mrs. Judy Williams-Hanley. I want to use this opportunity certainly on my own behalf and on behalf of my wife and family, on behalf of the ministry to express my sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family of Judy.
“I also want to offer my condolences to the community of Bath Village because I believe that all of us in Nevis would recognise that Bath Village is a very tightly knit and close community, certainly for their loss as well and for the management and staff of the Labour Department. I know that they are going through a very difficult period this morning.
“I also want to extend my condolences to her husband and the entire family and pray that in this difficult period that they would look to their creator God not for solution or understanding but for comfort,” he said.
Hon. Eric Evelyn in whose constituency Mr. Mulcaire lived said his constituents had suffered the loss of two young men last week.
“We would have lost two promising young men from my constituency. Young [Calvin] Walters who resided at Clay Ghaut and young Mulcaire who resided at the top of Zion. And, of course, we know that shock waves really ran across Nevis last week when we heard of the untimely passing of these two young men, and so, I want to extend heartfelt condolences to the families of young Walters and young Mulcaire and just to let you know that our prayers are with you.
“It’s very, very difficult in times like these. Sometimes you don’t know what to say to families in times like these, especially when it’s young upcoming promising young men…I also want to send condolences to the family of that young lady in that untimely passing this morning,” he said while also extending condolences to the family of the late Lolita Pemberton, another constituent who passed away on Wednesday night.
Expressions of sympathy also came from Hon. Cleone Stapleton Simmonds, Opposition member in the Nevis Island Assembly.
“Please permit me to also rise on this occasion to offer my sincerest condolences to Mr. Rogie Hanley and family on the untimely passing of his wife. My thoughts and prayers are indeed with the family at this time.
“I also wish to express my sincerest condolences on behalf of the Opposition to the Mulcaire family of Zion and also to Mr. Calvin Walters. My thoughts and prayers are also with those families at this time,” she said.
Before the Assembly adjourned sine die, Mr. Brantley tabled a Bill entitled “Nevis Trust and Corporate Service Providers Bill, 2020.” It also received its first reading.
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