Local News

Senator Gill pays tribute to “great sons’’

St. George’s, January 11, 2011 (GIS) – Junior Culture Minister, Senator Arley Gill, has described the late Carlyle Roberts and Joe Gibbs as “great sons of the soil.’’ Their passing is an immense lost to sports and culture in Grenada, the Senator told the Government Information Service Tuesday.

Gibbs, a former senior Ministry of Health official, was an outstanding local and regional cricketer.

Roberts, the first Grenadian to be appointed General Manager of Cable and Wireless (Grenada), was well-known in the cultural community as a steelpan enthusiast.

Sen. Gill, who is also Minister responsible for Information, expressed government’s condolences to the Roberts and Gibbs’ families.

He referred to Roberts as a “cultural icon.’’ The cultural fraternity, said Mr. Gill, “has lost a noble son who has contributed immensely to the development of pan and, indeed, the development of carnival for many, many years.’’

Roberts, 55, was a veteran executive member, pannist, arranger and composer with Republic Bank Angel Harps Steel Orchestra.

Gibbs was a brilliant spin bowler for the Grenada, Windward Islands and Combined Islands’ cricket teams.  He also played cricket in England.

Apart from his performance as a player, according to Sen. Gill, Gibbs was also a keen cricket observer and critic.

“Mr. Gibbs was a well-respected national cricketer,’’ the Minister said. “He distinguished himself on the field playing with the likes of the great Vivian Richards who, I know, was his personal friend.’’

In his latter years, added Sen. Gill, “Mr. Gibbs had some profound observations and criticism of how cricket is played and on the demise of West Indies cricket.’’

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