BARBADOS CHAPTER

'Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." Mat. 5:5

It was about 7:45 Sunday morning 27th of April when I met with Fitzgerald Reid in his hotel lobby here in his homeland Barbados. I had arranged to meet the former first president of our association at short notice just the day before as he was leaving on Monday. His visit, was a sad occasion, a death in the family had brought Mr. Reid and his wife home. I had already conveyed on the previous day my sympathy to the family.

I asked "Fitze", as he is known by most of his school mates and friends, to tell me something about the start of The Past Student's Association and the progress of his career in the corporate world of business. While he was willing to talk about the humble beginning of the past students association he told me that he was not in the habit of talking much about himself and his accomplishments. (Fitze prefers to be humble with whatever accomplishments God has given him) However I wanted him to know that I believe his approach to learning and work ethics since leaving school could be strong motivators for some of the students still at school as well as some of the recent graduates.

In regards to the association he told me that back in 1976 there was an educational programme sponsored by the school. The late Pastor Lester Jones was then the principal of the School (and also one of the elders of the Ephesus Church where Fitze was the first elder).  It was an island-wide meeting and the evening was devoted to education, the late Dr. Bradley Niles (Educator and former teacher of the school) was chairperson for the programme. Three former students, the late Dr. Grantley Brathwaite, the now Dr. Michelle Wall-Codrington and Fitzie were asked to speak about the school and Christian education. The late Mr. B.G.O French, a former principal of the school, was the main speaker. Sometime during this programme Dr. Niles discussed the idea of an alumni association with Fitzie and they agreed to ask those students present, after the programme was completed, about forming an association.  A number of us met the next Sunday at the school and  from that small nucleus the Barbados SDA Secondary School Association was formed with Fitzie  as the first President and Wanda Dean as the Vice president.. He remembered some wonderful occasions they had in those early days. One such occasion that stood out in his mind was a big fair held on the school grounds where they participated in many activities including a cricket match, past students against the existing students. As Fitze recalls, Dr. Cecil Cummings captained the past student's team, on which Fitzie played and included such stalwarts as Sherwin Johnson, Trevor Blenman, Anthony Waterman, and Ronal Hamblin. Fitzgerald remained president for some two or three years, as he recalls.

Next I asked Fitze about his early school life. He replied that his mother having heard about Christian education took him and his brother out of the government primary school and sent them to the Adventist primary church school in Bank Hall and from there to the Secondary school, never giving them the opportunity to take the government screening test.   He was well ahead of the other students in primary school and was ready to enter the secondary school before the age of 10 but was not allowed to as they thought he was too young. However, when he reached secondary school he found himself in a system, at that time that, in his words, unfortunately kept students in secondary school for 7 years. They were four classes before a student got into the main stream, 2A and 2B and a 3A and 3B besides form1 (Miss. Scott), 4 and 5. When offered the opportunity to take some O' levels in 4th. form, he successfully did so. He later completed his O' levels in form 5.

On leaving school Fitzie's educational pursuits took him onto the Community College to complete his 'A' levels. He also became a Chartered Certified Accountant (FCCA), a Chartered Management Accountant (ACMA) and a Chartered Banker (ACIB). Work-wise he was a teacher for short period at St. Giles Boys, Barbados SDA Secondary and Parkinson Comprehensive School. In the world of business he worked for the Commonwealth Development Corporation in their subsidiaries East Caribbean Housing and Barbados Mortgage Company, before moving onto the Caribbean Development Bank. At the bank he was able to climb the corporate ladder to the position of Assistant Controller/Assistant Director, of the finance department, at the time the youngest assistant departmental head at CDB.

Fitzgerald always put God first, so it was not only in the business world that he was moving up but also in his spiritual life.