Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 19, 2022 (SKNIS): Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, reflected on the stellar contribution made to the education sector in the Federation by the late Ambassador and former Premier of Nevis, His Excellency Vance Winkworth Amory, whom he described as a stalwart, an astute politician and an elder statesman.
“Mr. President, one of the truisms about Ambassador Amory was his scholarship and love for learning. I was particularly drawn to the fact that he taught Latin and had a well-rounded knowledge of classical literature, such as the works of Shakespeare. Even for the most erudite of scholars, these subjects are anything but easy if one is serious about their mastery,” said Prime Minister Harris, during his address at the Special Sitting of the Nevis Island Assembly held in honour of His Excellency Amory. “Ambassador Amory mastered both with ease, without any flair, flourish or fits of fancy – simply because he had nothing to prove to himself or to others. He knew who Vance was. He was comfortable in his own skin. And what you saw was what you got, no icing, frills, trimmings or airs of any kind.”
Prime Minister Harris noted that as a compassionate person, Ambassador Amory celebrated the successes of others.
“I knew that he cared deeply about others and was “over the moon” when he saw others succeed, particularly our young people, including the members of St Kitts National Youth Parliament Association (SKNYPA) whom he constantly encouraged and supported,” said Prime Minister Harris.
“Ambassador Amory’s solid, deep and humble temperament taught me so many Shakespearian lessons about life, many of which one could easily find in The Bard’s tragedy, ‘Julius Caesar’, including being careful not to ‘allow your wisdom to be consumed in confidence; understanding that the people we should treasure most are those whose word is their bond, and who are ‘constant as the northern star, / Of whose true fixed and resting quality. There is no fellow in the firmament, as well as remembering that as politicians we must always have a heart for the people, and remain connected with them, even if our efforts are unrewarded in this lifetime: hence, the admonition that ‘The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones,” the Prime Minister added.
The late Ambassador, His Excellency Vance Winkworth Amory, who served as the Premier of Nevis for two terms between 1992 and 2006 and then again between 2013 and 2017 died in the United Kingdom on Saturday, April 02, 2022, at the age of 72.