In faithful commemoration of the life of Halton Martin

By Stanley Collymore

We weren’t only blood relatives who grew up in the same socially cohesive St. Andrew community of the Lakes District, we were also political soul brothers, proud advocates in both the defence and tirelessly laboured and fought for advancement of our mutual Black race, just as we were also life-long friends.

Now tragically you’re no longer here among us Hal. For Death has quite most cruelly and entirely unexpectedly taken you away, and not only from those who personally knew and reciprocally loved you but likewise has also provided another unnecessary obstacle in the long-running story of our peoples’ significantly historic and fundamentally heroic fight for our rightful recognition through social emancipation, essential political justice and the still outstanding compensatory financial requirements of slavery and colonial reparations.

Making you throughout your life Halton a stalwart fighter for all these things and a great deal more. And what unquestionably, I’m most appreciatively comforted, my close blood relation, longstanding, very treasured and an unforgettable friend, will be your enduring legacy Halton Martin.

You’ve prematurely in my view Hal, unhappily and most regrettably departed this world and are therefore physically no longer with those of us who knew and loved you, but in our hearts and minds as well as our memories you and your impressive legacy will live on forever in the profound admiration and thoroughly unshakable affection for you not just of current but also, as of yet unborn, future, similarly proud and immensely grateful generations Barbadians.

So farewell and not goodbye my dear friend and biological cousin embraced as you now are by the Almighty God and the heavenly throng, until those of us who have currently survived you meet up with you again, and this time in Celestial Eternity. Amen!