Karen Best says she feels honoured to be sitting among the “giants” in the local trade union movement.
The overwhelmed Best temporarily shelved her hat yesterday as Chief Education Officer at a ceremony to unveil Karen Best Drive in the Barbados Union of Teachers’ (BUT) housing project at Hothersal, St Michael, which is to be called Academia Estates.
“I stand before you this morning very humbled by this gesture by the president and executive of the Barbados Union of Teachers to honour my contribution. Believe me when I say that my labour with this union was one of love and I always say that I am a servant leader,” she told an audience, including family, friends, and past and present colleagues.
“This naming ceremony puts me in the category of some of the giants in the trade union movement, for to speak of Marjorie Marshall and John Cumberbatch, Edwena Armstrong and Carl Springer and then Karen Best in the same breath is an honour.
“I would want to wish the BUT every success as it forges ahead to continue to lift the standard of teaching in this island,” she said, adding that her lone regret was that her mum passed a year ago and was not there to share in her joy.
Best, the longest serving BUT president, had the vision to develop the site. She said she had a single mission when she joined the union all those years ago.
“Someone said that they didn’t see any women leaders in Barbados . . . . I set out to dispel that notion, and I think I did,” she said to loud applause.
Best’s vice-president and successor Pedro Shepherd said it was his mission to honour her and have her name etched in history before he took his leave from the BUT.
“This morning I have decided that you must be treated like royalty with red carpet and all. I want you to accept this honour in the spirit it is given. I want the persons who shall reside here to feel honoured to be living on Karen Best Drive, for the next few generations of teachers must never forget Karen Best, former BUT president . . . . I want persons to know of your contribution and some history to this development which is going to be named shortly,” Shepherd said.
Academia Estates sits on 12.5 acres of land with the remaining lots going on the market from today. While noting that teachers would be given priority as purchasers, Shepherd nevertheless said “we cannot hold it forever”. (YB)
