Veterans welcome Canadian delegation

The Cayman Islands Veterans Association hosted a
special meeting this week when members of the
Royal Canadian Legion visited them at the Seafarers
Association Hall in Prospect. L-R: Carley Ebanks, CIVA
Executive Board member; Hon Anthony Eden, Minister
of Health; Duane Daly, RCL Dominion Secretary; Harry
McCoy, CIVA officer; Mary Ann Burdett, RCL Dominion
President; Dale Banks, CIVA President; Charles Adams
CIVA Secretary.

Dale Banks, CIVA president, received a shield from the
President of RCL, Mary Ann Burdett

The North Side Kitchen Band plays some traditional
Caymanian tunes

Charles Adams receives the Caribbean Service Award
from Mary Ann Burdett, Dominion President

Thursday,  January 19, 2006

A small delegation of members from The Royal Canadian Legion (RCL) were the guests of honour at a Cayman Islands Veterans Association (CIVA) general meeting at the Seafarers Association Hall in Prospect on Monday 16 January.

During the meeting three CIVA officers were presented with Caribbean Service Awards.

The delegation consisted of Dominion President Mary Ann Burdett and Dominion Secretary Duane Daly.

The CIVA and RCL are both members of the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League (RCEL), the umbrella organization for veterans from members of British Commonwealth armed forces. 

The RCL, one of the largest veteran organizations within the RCEL, has approximately 400,000 members, and is also concerned with the welfare of the members of smaller war veteran organizations in the Caribbean. 

The visit was aimed at renewing ties between the RCL and the CIVA, and was also an opportunity for the visiting delegation to assess the recovery of CIVA’s 94 members from damage caused by Hurricane Ivan.

As the meeting began, Dale Banks, President of CIVA, began thanking Hon Anthony Eden, Minister for Health, for coming to the meeting.

Mr Banks then paid tribute to the RCL, and the immeasurable contribution of their members during both world wars, as well as more recent conflicts.

He also outlined the achievements of the Cayman Islands: 

“The Cayman Islands too has played its part in defending freedom. As a percentage of population, Cayman has contributed more to the second world war than any one country in the world,” he said.

Mr Banks went on to say that because modesty tends to be a trait of ex-servicemen, particularly Caymanians, often the stories of what they did during the war have been lost. He recalled that he would not have known about many of the things his own father had done, had he not found out by accident.

“One day I found some papers in an old trunk referring to when my father sailed into the Pacific,” he recalled.

The Dominion President of the RCL, Ms Burdett, echoed many of Mr Banks’ sentiments: 

“It is our distinct pleasure to be with you in the Cayman Islands. It is our opportunity to learn more about you and for you to learn more about us,” she began.

“We understand what you said about the modesty of ex-servicemen; they never bragged about what they did. The unfortunate aspect to this was that we didn’t always make sure that their stories were passed down.

“That is why the poppy is importance as a symbol for remembrance,” she explained.

Ms Burdett went on to say that she had not been properly aware of the devastation caused by Hurricane Ivan, calling it “one of the best kept secrets,” but issued an invitation to the CIVA not to hesitate in contacting the RCL for help, should a similar disaster come along in the future. 

During the meeting the Caribbean Service Awards were presented to the three CIVA officers, Linoel Downer, Harry McCoy, and Charles Adams.

After Dinner, Captain Ned Miller’s North Side Kitchen Band (which are largely made up of retired seafarers) came to play their unique brand of Cayman Old-Time music.

“Their music makes me want to dance. I must say, not much of today’s music makes me feel like dancing,” Mr Banks commented.

      Back...