Vincentian lawyer and patriot dies in New York

A funeral service for Colin Adrian Liverpool, described by his eulogist as a dedicated servant of St Vincent and the Grenadines, was held in Brooklyn, New York, yesterday, March 30.

Liverpool, a lawyer by profession, died on March 18, 2023 after suffering a heart attack three days earlier. He was 55.

Peter Burke, in delivering a eulogy written by Glenroy Phillips said Liverpool was “a man of conviction, very humble, honest, generous, and hard-working. He didn’t trust easily. You had to earn his trust. You earned his trust and respect by your work ethic and actions.”

Liverpool was a founding member, and for several years, president of the planning committee of the Vincy Day picnic, held annually in August at the Heckscher State Park Campgrounds, East Islip, Long Island New York.

Phillips said it was during Liverpool’s tenure as president that he was able to observe his work ethic, up close. “Colin is the best group president I served with. Not only was he one of the smartest persons in the group, he was one of the hardest workers in the group. Leadership by example.”

Originally from Cane Garden, St Vincent, Colin was the second son of Raymond and Annette Liverpool, both deceased. He attended the St Vincent Grammar School after placing first in the then Common Entrance Examination in 1978 as a pupil of the Kingstown Preparatory School. After migrating to the United States, he first qualified as an engineer, graduating in 1998 with a BSc degree in Physics and Engineering Science from CUNY College of Staten Island. Ten years later, in 2008, he obtained his Juris Doctor (JD) degree from New York Law School and opened his law practice.

He specialised in the areas of landlord/tenant, immigration, real estate, civil litigation, business formation, cannabis, data privacy and election law.

According to Phillips, Liverpool wanted to practice Law in SVG and had taken the online transitional course of the Hugh Wooding Law School, worked with Jomo Thomas law chambers, and was scheduled to be called to the bar in St Vincent in May.

The website of Liverpool Law Office P.C. said they are proud of the fact that “every election candidate we have represented has secured a place on the ballot at the New York City board of elections.”

He seemingly transferred the elections skills he honed in New York to the local political scene, and according to Phillips, Liverpool ran the successful campaign of East Kingstown (EK) candidate for the New Democratic Party in the 2020 general elections, Fitzgerald Bramble.

“I had worked with Colin before on Maurine King City Council election campaign. Colin ran EK campaign like a fine tuned automobile. It was during that period that he got to know Laverne Gibson-Velox. He ran Laverne’s and Fitz’s campaigns. Laverne became the sister he always wanted,” Phillips said.

Liverpool was also a member of the SEARCHLIGHT family. From May 2009 to September 2013, under his company Chatoyer Community Services, he printed and distributed the newspaper SEARCHLIGHT in North America.

He is survived by his wife Jackie, daughter Nia, brothers Andre and Kurt, many other relatives and friends.