Congrats Renwick, we are proud of you!

Fri, Nov 25, 2010

Renwick Rose, a true Vincentian patriot, has recognised internationally for his work with Fairtrade bananas in the Windwards.{{more}}

On November 17, Renwick was announced as the winner of the 2011 Guardian International Development Achievement Award, which is designed to recognize some of the unsung heroes of international development, who have made a profound contribution to the alleviation of poverty, working above and beyond the call of duty to make a difference to the lives of some of the world’s poorest people.

He beat out four other shortlisted nominees from Senegal, Kenya, Pakistan and Thailand. That this man, from a tiny island nation, was able to win such a prestigious award, speaks to the impact and quality of the work he has been doing to assist farmers, and civil society in general, over the last 40 years.

Nominees for the Award were evaluated based on the following criteria: The extent to which their activities and achievements have had a demonstrable and positive impact on poverty alleviation – either directly or indirectly; the sustainability of their achievements in terms of longevity, legacy and impact; the extent to which the nominee’s activities and achievements have changed social situations, public attitudes, structures or policies that may be behind the poverty, exclusion or disempowerment of the people affected; the ways in which the nominee has demonstrated inspirational leadership.

Based on those criteria, it is not difficult to see why Renwick won. In his quiet, unassuming way, Renwick’s work has positively affected persons across divisions of nationality, social status, political affiliation and gender. Whenever tributes are paid to Renwick, mention is always made of his humility. Here at SEARCHLIGHT, we can attest to that. Although it is well-known that Renwick is a weekly columnist with this newspaper, some may not realise that he is also one of SEARCHLIGHT’s founders.

Not one to throw his weight around or seek the limelight, Renwick provides quiet, steady support to the newspaper, when requested. This fact may not even be known to some of the company’s employees, as the number of times he has entered the doors of the company, may be counted on one hand! Renwick is widely travelled and well read, has vast experience on a wide range of issues, and is logical, level-headed and articulate. He therefore can be counted on to provide sound editorial advice and give other editorial support on many issues at very short notice.

This is not the first international award Renwick has received. It is sad that despite all his work and sacrifices for this country, we have yet to recognise him nationally. As another SEARCHLIGHT founder, Bassy Alexander, said in his opinion piece of this week, it is difficult to find words to express how happy we are about this award.

Congratulations Renwick, we are proud of you.