By:Curtis Morton
Charlestown-Nevis-The hard court at Church Ground was filled with emotional sadness, on the evening of Monday 12th June 2017.
That was the venue for a Candle Light Vigil, held in remembrance of the late, Lydia Jacobs, who was brutally gunned down at her home, which is only a stone’s throw away from the court on the evening of Friday 2nd June 2017.
Family members, friends and a host of community minded individuals, including Deputy Premier Hon. Mark Brantley, showed up to show solidarity with the family and to pay tribute to the life of the former local sprint queen and hotel employee.
The proceedings were chaired by Mr. Orette Smith and featured the singing of hymns and prayers.
However, prior to assembling at the hard court, the early participants at the vigil, assembled at the gateway of the former Grace Housing community resident, where prayer was said by Mr. Orette Smith and then the persons assembled marched to the hard court where the main activities took place.
Mrs. Shanelle Myers welcomed everyone on behalf of the residents of the community in mourning and also delivered a poem in tribute of their ‘dearly departed neighbour.’ The poem was entitled ‘Love is eternal.’
After that followed several songs and two passages of scripture read by two other members of the Grace Housing community.
Tributes were then given by some of the persons present. Former Minister of Social Development, Mr. Hensley Daniel, in his address, described the act as “cowardly and dastardly” and used the opportunity to ask Nevisians to “cool their tempers, because eye for an eye makes all of us blind.”
He beseeched all to “bury the hatchet and bury the hate, when we bury Lydia.”
He said that the younger generation needs to get back to focusing on education and not crime.
Other tributes were paid, including one by Lester Blackett of the Athletic Association, who delivered a poem entitled ‘A gem is gone.’
Pastor Bernard Browne then delivered the encouraging sermon entitled ‘In the time of trouble, God still remains God.’
More songs and prayers ensued and then the lights on the court were turned off and the candles were lit and there were more songs and prayers and then the candles were placed together in a solitary spot, as a touching symbolic gesture.