A grand public farewell befitting Sir Garfield Sobers is set for Wednesday, with family and officials urging Barbadians to line the route and pay their respects as the island honours its late National Hero.
At Kensington Oval during Sunday’s grand rehearsal for the State Funeral of his late father, Daniel Sobers expressed pride and shared reflections on the sporting legend.
“He was very, very much a humanitarian, very humble in how he carried himself, but grand in his aura,” he described, noting that the large-scale farewell reflected how his father, a globally acclaimed cricket icon, lived.
While admitting that such a wide public departure can feel overwhelming compared with smaller family gatherings, he said his father earned every minute of it.
“He’s earned every minute of this, and I’m looking forward to giving him a grand farewell on Wednesday, because that’s how he lived his life,” he said, adding that it was fitting that everyone in the island and worldwide will be able to partake in Sir Garry’s send-off.
He joked that the characteristically modest legend would likely ask: “Who is this for? What is all this?” out of pure humility.
Expressing thanks for the immense international and national support, Sobers said the family will take time after the funeral to listen to the tributes and reflect on the experience.
Senator Lisa Cummins, head of the organising committee, urged Barbadians to turn out in large numbers along the procession route to pay their final respects.
“We’re hoping that Barbadians – people who are working along the route, people who are in Bridgetown during the time of the funeral – will come out, line the route, and let’s pay our respects together to our late National Hero.”
The minister reminded the public that Sir Garfield will lie in state at Parliament on Monday.
“The public is invited to view the body from 11:15 in the morning. Prior to that, the family – because, while he is a National Hero, much loved, and while he is a part of us, and while he is a member of the cricketing fraternity, he still has a family – will have their private time to view the body first from 9:45 a.m. Then we will have the President, followed by the Prime Minister and a number of dignitaries; they will file through, and then the public will be open to viewing.”
She announced that following Monday’s viewing at Parliament, the late National Hero will lie in state at Kensington Oval’s Garfield Sobers Pavilion on Tuesday.
“Not only is it named after him, but it was opened by him, and so it is only fitting that he will be lying in state here in his own pavilion. Here at Kensington at the Mecca, we will have the cricketing icons and the cricketing legends viewing first, and then we will have it open to the wider public,” she said.
Senator Cummins said members of the public should keep the proceedings respectful.
“We expect that there will be a number of people who want to be able to come to the viewing and also to take the opportunity of the viewing to sign the condolence books. We’re asking people to come to view and to keep moving. We will not be allowing persons to stop or take photos or anything like that. People are going to be asked to just keep it respectful and dignified and to keep the traffic moving.”
A park-and-ride system will be used, with buses leaving from various locations, including Bay Primary School, to allow people from the Bayland, where Sir Garry grew up, to attend. Details on other locations are to be shared by the Transport Board.
Noting that one of the highlights will be a cricket bat salute organised by the Barbados Cricket Association with a guard of honour formed by members of the cricket fraternity, she said the service will be live-streamed on screens at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.
The minister also said that several watch parties were being set up at Barbados’ embassies and consulates overseas and encouraged people to visit sirgarrysobers.bb to sign the condolence books.
Senator Cummins said tributes will be made before and during the ceremony, as there was a decision not to have a eulogy.
“The number of people who could possibly speak about Sir Garry is exhaustive,” she said. “We would still have been here for a couple of days if we were to have all of the tributes. So what we try to do is to have tributes from the fraternities captured on the different thematic areas.”
Cabinet Secretary Selma Green told reporters that there will be a mixed programme of tributes from the cricketing fraternity and family members, a tribute from the nation delivered by Prime Minister Mia Mottley, and a number of performances during the ceremony.
“It should be a day of reflection for us as we pay homage to our true son of the soil who has brought distinction to Barbados,” she said.
The funeral will be officiated by Senator Reverend Canon Dr John Rogers, Bishop Ezra Parris and Reverend Canon Guy Hewitt.
(JB)
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