PERMANENT PORTRAITS TO BE ERECTED TO HONOUR NATIONAL HEROES

For the first time, photographs of the island’s national heroes will be permanently mounted at a public location; as a symbolic gesture by the Government of Montserrat to honour those who have provided exceptional and extraordinary service to Montserrat and Montserratians.

The Office of the Premier will be hosting a ‘National Heroes Portrait Unveiling Ceremony’ on Saturday August 1, 2020, 8:30a.m. at the John. A. Osborne Airport. This is part of the Office of the Premier’s aim to have a more tangible recognition for our National Heroes. The first step towards this goal is the ‘Unveiling of Portraits for our National Heroes’ at the Ports of Entry.
 Following the ceremony, portraits of the island’s three national heroes – The Most Excellent, William H Bramble, ONH; The Most Excellent, Robert W Griffith, ONH, OBE and The Most Excellent, Alphonsus Cassell, MBE, ONH will be permanently mounted at the Ports of Entry—John A. Osborne Airport and the Ferry Port in Little Bay.
 The ‘National Heroes Portrait Unveiling Ceremony’ will be streamed live by the Government Information Unit (GIU), on YouTube and Facebook.
 In 2014, William H. Bramble became Montserrat’s first National Hero. The Order of National Hero was bestowed posthumously to Montserrat’s first Chief Minister, William H. Bramble.
 The honour of the Order of National Hero was bestowed posthumously to Robert W. Griffith. He was conferred as a National Hero in 2015.
 The Order of National Hero was bestowed posthumously on Alphonsus ‘Arrow’ Cassell in 2016 for his outstanding contribution to culture in the field of calypso, and especially his unparalleled international achievements in the genre of Soca.