KINGSTON, Jamaica  —  State minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Senator Abka Fitz-Henley says the thanksgiving service held on Wednesday for Barbados National Hero, Sir Garfield Sobers was a welcome celebration of Caribbean unity and excellence.

Minister Fitz-Henley represented the Government of Jamaica at the thanksgiving service which took place at the Kenginston Oval and had hundreds of people from Barbados and across the region in attendance.

“From time to time negative narratives dominate regional discourse, including the bane of insularity. None of that was in existence today as the Caribbean came together to celebrate a great man. It is good that we were able to experience a timely celebration of Caribbean unity and excellence”, Fitz-Henley told Observer Online shortly after the service concluded.

The minister says it was also noteworthy that several of the people who gave tributes highlighted the importance of unity within the region and investment in sports.

“The tributes given by Brian Lara of Trinidad and Tobago and the West Indies, by Clive Lloyd of Guyana and the West Indies were instructive. As they celebrated an iconic Barbadian, both men appealed for the powers that be across the region to invest more in our sports talent and highlighted the ability of sports to have a powerful impact on the psyche of the people” Fitz-Henley commented.

The service was attended by several greats from across the region including Sir Vivian Richards, Desmond Haynes, Joel Garner, Gordon Greenidge and Barbados National Hero and Pop Star, Rihanna.