An emotional night for Bernard John

A broad cross section of the SVG community in Toronto attended an exciting and emotional show of appreciation for outgoing Consul General Bernard John on Saturday January 13th, 2007 at the Radisson Hotel in Toronto.

Flanked by wife Shelley and children Kelcey and Brandon, Bernard was alternatively beaming with pleasure and moved to tears as he rose to acknowledge the numerous accolades which he received from the SVG and larger Caribbean community in Toronto as well as several contributions from the SVG Ottawa community.{{more}}

Speakers included the former Consul General from Grenada Conrad Gibbs, Michael Lashley, the Consul General of Trinidad and Tobago, SVG Honorary Consul Jose Bonadie and various leaders of the several independent groups which dot the landscape of the Toronto SVG community. The O.E.C.S High Commissioner Lorraine Williams could not attend but sent a nicely-worded speech to express her appreciation of Bernard’s contribution to O.E.C.S issues.

Bernard was warmly applauded for his spearheading of the “Building Bridges” project, an initiative which sought to encourage active cooperation for the common good among the various independent SVG groups which exist in the Toronto area.

The evening ended on a high note with Pearl Woods, former president of the Bequia Social Club giving a vote of thanks and congratulating Francelia George and the small organizing committee for a successful show and asking the audience to rise in unison to wish Bernard and his family God’s speed in their future endeavours.