ANGLICAN Bishop Claude Berkley has called for vigilance in order for this country to distance itself from evil.
Berkley said this is needed to keep TT sane, maintain equilibrium and fight against dysfunction and chaos.
[caption id="attachment_1075882" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Military Parade takes place in honour of Major General Ralph Brown at his funeral held at All Saint's Anglican Church Port of Spain on April 8. - Photo by Venessa Mohammed[/caption]
Delivering the homily at the funeral of retired major general and former chief of defence staff Ralph Brown at the All Saints’ Anglican Church, Port of Spain, on April 8, he said those qualities are needed and stressed they should be taught at home.
“We learned from Brown about honour, dignity, decorum, discipline and good purpose.”
[caption id="attachment_1075888" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The coffin of Major General Ralph Brown is carried out of the All Saint's Anglican Church after his Funeral on April 8. - Photo by Venessa Mohammed[/caption]
Brown joined the regiment just before independence and saw the raising of the TT flag as an off-duty soldier in 1962. In his role as commanding officer of the regiment during the attempted coup on July 27, 1990, he was instrumental in negotiations with insurgents of the Jamaat al-Muslimeen, which led to their surrender on August 1.
Berkley shared a memory of Brown when he scolded him, saying Berkley was “too indulgent of people's nonsense." Jokingly, he said Brown would give him lectures after his lectures.
[caption id="attachment_1075887" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Deceased Major General Ralph Brown is escorted out of the All Saint's Anglican Church Port of Spain at his funeral on April 8. - Photo by Venessa Mohammed[/caption]
He called Brown a key member of the church’s “think tank," a group that organises the church’s functions and other matters.
“He would always call from Tobago to ensure that when we visited, we passed for a drink.”
Saying the church's experience with Brown had always been pleasant Berkley described Brown as a man who served his God, country, family, and the world. He said Brown took his Christianity seriously and knew his time was coming to an end and he needed to make himself right with God.
[caption id="attachment_1075889" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Granddaughter of Major Ralph Brown, Simeona Skeen is comforted by Mother (right) as she looks on as the coffin of her grandfather is carried away. - Photo by Venessa Mohammed[/caption]
He questioned whether TT is producing men and women in homes, schools, churches, communities, and military service of honour, dignity, decorum, discipline, good purpose, and service to the nation.
He hoped members of the creative community, namely kaiso, rapso and calypso, would immortalise Brown and his sterling service.
National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds spoke with the media after the funeral. Hinds said he briefly met Brown in the 90s, and said Brown had earned the respect of former prime minister Patrick M
