Late Herman W. Liburd to receive official funeral

The Federal Cabinet has agreed to accord an official funeral to the late Herman W. Liburd Esq., J.P., who was a former Speaker (1980-1985). The official funeral will take place at the Gingerland Methodist Church in Nevis on Saturday, May 4th, 2019.

The public viewing for the former Speaker will start at 12:45pm on Saturday, after which tributes will be held from 1:15pm until the service begins at 2:00pm.

The former Speaker, who was 78 years old, died on Friday, April 12th, 2019. He was born in Nevis on April 2nd, 1941.

Herman Liburd served as Speaker of the House of Assembly from 1980 and was succeeded as Speaker of the National Assembly by Ivan Buchanan in 1985. (The 1983 Constitution established the National Assembly to replace the House of Assembly.)

"Herman W. Liburd was a visionary who had a remarkable life history, having presided as Speaker during an extraordinary era in our country's development," Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris said upon learning of his passing.

Prime Minister Harris went on to note that, "The Honourable Herman Liburd presided over a House of Assembly that witnessed a historic coalition of two parties – the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) and the People's Action Movement (PAM) – under the leadership of Premier Dr. the Honourable Kennedy Simmonds, who went on to become the first Prime Minister when St. Kitts and Nevis attained Independence on September 19th, 1983 and is now our nation's only living National Hero."

The Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis added, "Speaker Herman Liburd also presided over a House that saw the historic advancement of women. In 1980, Eugenie Byron (now Eugenie Condor) was the first woman to be appointed Senator in the House of Assembly. Then, in 1984, Speaker Herman Liburd once again had a front seat to history when Constance V. Mitcham was the first woman to be elected to serve in the National Assembly."

Reflecting on Herman Liburd's legacy, Prime Minister Harris further stated that, "His significant contributions to the sociocultural fabric of St. Kitts and Nevis have forever been cemented not only through his prominence as a Speaker and lawyer, but also because of the influence and respect he held as a newspaper columnist, community leader, and legal advisor to the Nevis Island Administration."

The Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis extends deepest sympathy to Herman Liburd's daughter Krysta Liburd-Clarke, his son Steven Straker, his two brothers Dr. A. Linton Liburd and Claudius Liburd, and his five sisters Eleanor Dash, Rosalind Hai, Marilyn Liburd, Millicent Liburd and Yvonne Liburd. The Prime Minister and representatives of his Office and the Nevis Island Administration have been in contact with the family.