Published 21 November 2020
Buckie Got It,
Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
Prime Minister of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, on Friday November 20, thanked all those who joined the Harris and Nisbett Families in according his departed charismatic brother Mr Claren Nisbett an honourable send-off.
“I had a long and comfortable relationship with him (Mr Claren Nisbett),” said Prime Minister Harris of his brother who died on Monday November 9 at the age of 61. “He was one of the 33 children which my father provided for our love and our comfort and of the 33 he was certainly one of the favourites, and in many ways was special because he was so somewhat different.”
Prime Minister Harris made the remarks as he paid tribute to his late brother Mr Claren Nisbett at a thanksgiving service for his life which was held at the House of Deliverance New Testament Church in Tabernacle Village and attended by members of the Harris and Nisbett Families from St. Kitts and also Nevis, and well-wishers.
“I just want to say thank you to the family and those who have taken tine to come to share with us at this particular moment,” said Prime Minister Harris. “Of course to my constituents I want to thank them for the rendition and to thank them for their support and all those as part of the family of Unity and the Peoples Labour Party (PLP) who have come.”
Joining the Prime Minister and members of his family at the service which was officiated by Pastor Octavia Charles-Warner and Pastor Keith Phipps, were Speaker of the National Assembly the Hon Michael Perkins, Deputy Speaker Senator the Hon Dr Bernicia Nisbett, Deputy Prime Minister the Hon Shawn Richards, and Minister of Human Settlement et al the Hon Eugene Hamilton.
Also in attendance were Resident Ambassador of the Republic of China on Taiwan His Excellency Tom Lee, Ambassador His Excellency Vance Amory, Ambassador His Excellency Kevin ‘Ninky’ Williams, Chargé d’ Affaires of the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Mr Marco Guzmán, and Ms Maria Colmenares of Petro Catibe, Commissioner of Police Mr Hilroy Brandy, Cabinet Secretary Mrs Josephine Huggins, and Permanent Secretaries Mr Osmond Petty and Mr Ron Dublin-Collins, among others.
“If I was to say what best I would remember him for, was that Claren was always one so full of life, and he lived as if always today was the last,” Prime Minister Harris told the congregation. “Whatever he had to do, he would to do it. For him family was very, very big, and friends were very, very big. So he cherished family and he cherished friendship, and it didn’t matter what the occasion, if he came to know you because of another brother or another sister and it didn’t matter if after that you and that person were no longer friends, he will find you and show you the love, because that was Claren.”
The Late Mr Claren Nisbett who lived in and made Tortola, the British Virgin Islands, his home for over 40 years, would have turned 62 on December 29 this year. His virtues as a brother who cared for his family were highlighted in the eulogy read by his sister Ms Donna Harris who remarked that some persons in the family would say that he lived in a container, based on the number of containers he used to send to his family members.
The Honourable Prime Minister confirmed what his sister said noting that he remembered their late brother Claren because he was a hard worker, disciplined, and organised in terms of his work. Dr Harris noted that before he went to Barbados to pursue further studies, he went to Tortola as his brother Claren was one of the more generous of the Nisbett Clan, who showed love to all of them.
Prime Minister Harris told the congregation that he adopted the House of Deliverance New Testament Church as the Harris Family’s church is the Estridge Moravian Church, and the Nisbett Family’s church is the Methodist Church. While thanking the officiating pastors, he said the family was happy that Pastor Phipps would have stated that Mr Claren Nisbett basically made an acquaintance with the Heavenly Master. Commented Dr Harris: “I hope that that acquaintance holds him in good stead over yonder.”
Walking behind a police outrider after the thanksgiving service, Pastors Octavia Charles-Warner and Keith Phipps, and Prime Minister Harris led the funeral procession to the Tabernacle burial ground, where the body was interred, for the graveside part of the service and laying of wreaths. Pall bearers were Mr Lenworth Harris, Mr Dwight Harris, Mr Denzil Harris, Mr Kennedy Nisbett, Mr Akeem Nisbett, and Mr. Lionel Nisbett Jr.
