Published 8 March 2020
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
Prime Minister Harris: ‘Mac’ Woodley championed cause of working people
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, March 8, 2020 (MMS-SKN) — The massive turnout at the Tabernacle Sports Grounds on Friday afternoon March 6 was testament that the Late Mr Glenroy Silvester Woodley better known simply as Mac was a man of the people and in paying tribute, Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris authenticated that fact.
“Always Mac showed a high level of energy and engagement as a community activist everywhere, and a champion of the cause of working people,” said Prime Minister Harris at the thanksgiving service for the life of Mr Glenroy ‘Mac’ Woodley, which was held under two large tents on the sports ground.
According to the Prime Minister, when the Team Unity Cabinet sought to address the matter of the non-regularisation of pension to over 1,000-plus government auxiliary employees or non-establishment employees, Mac came forward to be part of a committee created – the Government Auxiliary Workers Committee.
On the committee, Mr Woodley represented the non-establishment workers who for years had been denied their holiday pay in December, even as the previous Labour administration had long promised them that it would correct the anomaly.
“Mac gave lots of energy to the work, and indeed in the very week in which he passed, the Cabinet took the decision to basically advance this programme within the next few months in part in tribute to his contribution to that particular development and work on the Government Auxiliary Workers Committee,” advised Prime Minister Harris.
The late Mr Woodley, who hailed from Tabernacle Village was born on December 4, 1965, and died on February 23, 2020 after a sudden illness.
“Mac’s sudden death sent shockwaves to St. Kitts and Nevis,” pointed out Prime Minister Harris. “Indeed I for one had engaged him just a few days before regarding a housing project in which he was involved at Mansion. And so when I heard the news that he had passed, I thought it was one of those rumours which we get so often.”
After Prime Minister Harris contacted the JNF General Hospital, and got the confirmation of Mac’s untimely passing, “for the rest of that day and the rest of that week it left a painful void in me, certainly in my family, the community of Tabernacle and Walwyn in particular, the Team Unity Family, and country at large, because all of us have been made better because of Mac’s vast contribution.”
The thanksgiving service was conducted by Rev Erwin Warner, and in attendance were the Deputy Prime Minister the Hon Shawn Richards, Minister of Public Infrastructure the Hon Ian Patches Liburd, Minister of Agriculture the Hon Eugene Hamilton, Deputy Speaker Senator Akilah Byron-Nisbett, Federation’s Permanent Representative to United Nations His Excellency Sam Condor, senior government officials, and friends.
Permanent Secretaries present included Mr Osmond Petty of National Security – an uncle-in-law to the deceased and who delivered the eulogy; Mr Ron Dublin-Collins of Public Infrastructure who joined staff of the Public Works Department led by Director Mr Cromwell Williams as they delivered tribute in song; Mrs Elreter Simpson-Browne of Sustainable Development; and Dr Deloris Stapleton-Harris of Health.
Prime Minister Harris extended his personal condolences to the large family of Mr Woodley and asked all to remember him in prayers, as well as his daughters, Macayle Woodley, and Niyokei Liburd, his dedicated partner Charmaine ‘Sherry’ Liburd, his mother Sarah Woodley and other family members.
“As I said before, Mac was more than a friend,” said Dr Harris, who is also the Area Parliamentary Representative for Constituency Number Seven. “He was one of those persons who inspire you, who talk to you well, who let you know when you are wrong and did it in a gentle way and understanding way, so that you could continue to do those things in a better way and to make him pleased of your work.”
After the thanksgiving service, the funeral procession was led by two police outriders to the local cemetery for the interment. Prime Minister Harris led in laying a wreath on the grave, followed by the daughter of the deceased Miss Macayle Woodley, other family members and friends.
