Beautiful floral display at Pines, as Children pay tribute to the Queen

By Christopher Tobutt

A Beautiful floral display, a tribute to her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, adorns the entrance to the Pines Retirement Home. Along with the lovely bouquets of flowers is a large photograph of Her Majesty provided by the Government.

“This is a tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second because she opened this home on the 17th February 1983. At the time the home was under a council called the National Council of Social Services,” said Lynda Mitchell, Chief Officer of the Pines Retirement Home. “Later it was changed to the National Council of Volunteer Organizations after that in 2011 it was formally called the Pines Retirement Home, operated independently and governed by a separate board of directors.”

Pointing to some colourful cards with pictures in crayon, Ms. Mitchell said, “About 60 children with their teachers came this morning, from the Montessori school as well as the NCVO Children’s home. They wanted to come and celebrate the life of Her Majesty.”

One of the residents, Delores Jean Anderson, said, “Really I don’t know her majesty as a person. I like what I read of her, and see of her,” one of the residents, Delores Jean Anderson, said. “I was really upset when I had heard that she died.”

The children gathered outside the Pines for a photo, as the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service helicopter flew overhead, before entering the Pines and leaving their pretty cards on the shelf under the flowers. One of the cards stated simply, “I hope you had the happy life everybody wants.”

Students from 38 private and public schools across Grand Cayman from West Bay to East End and Cayman Brac gathered in commemorative activities at various locations to pay tribute to honour the life of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Nine students from each school representing each decade of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s life from various schools across Cayman such as Sir John A Cumber Primary School, George Town Primary School, Prospect  Primary School, East End Primary School, Clifton Hunter High School, Cayman International School, Grace Christian Academy, Calvary Baptist Christian Academy, Cayman Academy, Footsteps, Island Montessori, Cayman Prep and High School Cayman Learning Centre among many others gathered together at public tribute locations such as Government House, Government Administration Building.

Speaking to tributes across the schools Minister of Education, Hon. Juliana O’Connor-Connolly noted “Queen Elizabeth II has been a strong and constant figure in our lives for many years. I am truly saddened by her passing and proud that our students had the opportunity to pay tribute to the late monarch.”