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“Our Nation grieves at the lost of 2 Great Patriots in Cricketing icon Edgar Gilbert and  faithful esteemed Governor Genaral Deputy for His Honour Eustace John.”

These were the words of Prime Mnister Hon. Dr. Timothy Harris as he announced to the world via social media of the passing of the two St.Kitts-Nevis iconic figures.

His Honour Mr. Eustace John CMG was born in Rose Hill, Gingerland, Nevis in 1939.

 

In 1996, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II awarded him the Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG).

 

Mr. Eustace John demitted office as Deputy Governor-General for Nevis at the end of April after distinguished service in that capacity for 23 years.  His retirement capped 60 years of an extraordinarily diverse and noteworthy work history in the public sector.

 

In 1957, the late Mr. Eustace John began teaching at the Charlestown Secondary School, and later that year he served as a treasurer and Customs officer until 1960.  For the next two years, he was a social welfare officer, working between St. Kitts and Nevis.

 

Mr. John assumed the post of chief revenue officer in Anguilla from 1962 to 1963 before returning to St. Kitts in 1964 to work at the Customs and Excise Department as its examination officer.  In 1966, Mr. John was transferred to the General Post Office, where he worked in the parcel post section as the officer in charge.  In 1969, he was transferred to the Premier’s Ministry in St. Kitts and worked there as the administrative assistant to Robert Bradshaw up to 1971.

 

Mr. John then moved to ZIZ Radio and Television, the state-owned media outlet in St. Kitts and Nevis (known today as ZIZ Broadcasting Corporation, ZBC), to work as its commercial and accounts manager.  After working in that capacity until 1972, he was promoted to general manager and spent nine years in that role. 

 

 

In 1981, Mr. John left ZIZ to take up the position of accountant general for St. Kitts and Nevis and served in that capacity for 13 years.  In 1994, he was appointed to serve as Deputy Governor-General, with responsibility for the island of Nevis, after the expiry of the tenure of his predecessor, His Honour Mr. Weston Parris.

 

Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris said today, Thursday, July 27^th, 2017, upon learning of Mr. Eustace John’s death, that, “His Honour was a Man for All Seasons, having performed exceptionally well in a number of endeavours that brought his inclusive management style and leadership expertise to the fore.”

 

 

Edgar Gilbert is regarded as one of the most influential Cricketers in the history of St.Kitts-Nevis. He was born in 1933 and raised in Molynuex Village  . During the early and late 1960’s he played First Clas Cricket for the then Combined Islands where he took a total of 32 wickets in 11 matches. However it was his long career as a player for the St.Kitts island team that helped to make Gilbert a sports legend in St.Kitts-Nevis. He played for St.Kitts from the 1950’s up until the 1980’s.

PM Harris also expressed personal condolences as well as on behalf of the nation to the Cricket Legend’s family.