Antigua : It was an afternoon of reflection and remembrance, under blue skies and intermittent rainfall, yesterday for the hundreds of people who converged at Spring Gardens Moravian Church and later at St John’s Public Cemetery to pay their respects to media icon and patriot Winston “Mr D” Derrick.
The co-founder and chairman of OBSERVER Publications, who died suddenly on February 2, was described as “fearless”, “fair-minded”, “humble”, “confident”, and “a man of indelible character.”
This “quintessential man” would forever be remembered as a “champion of the right to freedom of expression, not only in Antigua & Barbuda but throughout the entire Caribbean,” his good friend Senator Dr Errol Cort said.
He was portrayed as a man who had great love for his family, people and country.
Dr Cort, who broke his 10-day silence at yesterday’s service, said his friend was a “critical, reflective thinker” who took umbrage in dictatorship.
A man who “held no malice” was also said to be one who would search long, far and wide to find the truth and to help others in need.
OBSERVER Radio 91.1 FM has been available online for years with listeners tuning in from England to Canada, from Montserrat to St Lucia, from Guyana to St Kitts, from the US to Jamaica – basically across the world – anywhere that internet is accessible for one to log on to www.antiguaobserver.com. The daily newspaper is also accessible on the internet.
OBSERVER Hitz 91.9 FM, the Daily OBSERVER newspaper and OBSERVER Printery are all part of the Winston media empire which started in 1993 with OBSERVER By Fax.
Representative of the Association of Caribbean Media Workers and the Antigua & Barbuda Media Congress, Brenda Lee-Browne, seized the opportunity during her tribute to urge the region’s journalists not to let Winston’s struggles for press freedom be forgotten.
“We journalists, across the Caribbean and further afield, remain indebted to the Derricks and Winston in particular, for giving us the opportunity when others closed their doors and would not hear us or allow us to hone our craft,” Lee-Browne said.
To put her remarks into context, it is noted that in 1996, when Winston and pre-deceased brother Samuel ‘Fergie’ Derrick decided to set up OBSERVER Radio, they suffered a serious blow the first day they went live on air.
Lawmen swooped down on the studio and seized all the equipment the brothers had invested in – estimated to be worth over US $100,000.
Their fight against the clamp down by government and police failed in the High Court and the Caribbean Court of Appeal.
The battle culminated with success at the Privy Council in 2001 thus revolutionising independent broadcast media in Antigua & Barbuda – since only government and Bird-family owned radio stations existed then.
Fergie died two years later and Winston took over as chairman of the company.
In eulogising his brother yesterday, Vincent “Tubby” Derrick said, “We all must make sure that the legacy of Winston and Fergie continues by being brave, loving truth and justice, and simply doing the right thing no matter how much it costs – our God demands it. Our country needs it. And their legacy demands it too. We must never let their sacrifice be in vain.”
Staff eulogised Winston through two songs, a solo of Power of a Dream, then a group performance of Westlife’s You Raise Me Up, accompanied by the guitarist and pianist.
The Professional Organisation of Women in Antigua (POWA) delivered a silky rendition of He Ain’t Heavy, followed by a musical tribute by a group called ‘Ole Time Something’ – a title adopted from a programme on OBSERVER Radio.
Hellsgate Steel Orchestra paid tribute on pan, a skill Winston deeply appreciated. They performed Whitney Houston’s I Look To You and Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds – bringing reassurance to those in attendance who loudly applauded and smiled from start to finish.
Winston’s body was later interred at the St John’s Public Cemetery, following a three-volley gun salute by an all female firing squad.
While there was a sombre note with some, many used the journey from the church to the cemetery to renew acquaintances and meet people they didn’t know but who had wonderful stories to share about their relationship with Winston.
The officiating pastors were Reverend Kingsley Lewis, Reverend Dean Rudolph Smithen and Reverend Denise Smith-Lewis.
Reverend Lewis, a friend of Winston’s, said the country would do great with a few more Winston’s – the epitome of “kindness” with a great sense of humour and one who held no grudges.
Winston is survived by his widow Kim Warman-Derrick, daughters Diane, Sunny and Georgia, and son Winston “Wage” Jr, grandchildren Truth John, Keisha Derrick and Grant Goddard IV.
An autopsy revealed Winston died of pulmonary embolism – a blood clot in the lung. Relatives and friends who were with him at Russell’s Restaurant, where he died in the wee hours of Saturday February 2, said he had previously been in great spirits and seemingly good health.
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