Vilma McDonald, chair of the Caribbean Community of Retired Persons (CCRP) Living Legacy Committee, has announced the committee’s selection of four 2021 honourees.

Entrepreneur Audrey Hinchcliffe will receive the CCRP J Lester Spaulding Award for Business, while renowned nurse educator Professor Hermi Hewitt will receive the CCRP Syringa Marshall-Burnett Award for Health.

These two awards are named for the late founding board directors of CCRP.

The other two CCRP Living Legacy Award recipients are epidemiologist Professor Peter Figueroa for services in health and health education, and Parris Lyew-Ayee, Sr for services to the public and private sectors in the minerals industry.

CCRP will also be presenting a special Award of Appreciation to Jamaica’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie in recognition of her outstanding service to Jamaica during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to being founder of Manpower and Maintenance Services Group, Hinchcliffe is a leading authority on workforce development and occupational health and safety, and is a former Business Leader of the Year honouree (2001). 

Hewitt, a former head of the UWI Nursing School, is internationally acknowledged in the field. Her book, Trailblazers in Nursing Education: A Caribbean Perspective, is used globally as a reference on the history of nursing in the Caribbean.

 Lyew-Ayee is among the foremost international mineral engineers and geologists, having served as executive director of the Jamaica Bauxite Institute for 23 years. His knowledge of the minerals industry, and of Jamaica’s bauxite industry in particular, has led to him being sought after globally as a conference speaker and participant.

Figueroa is the region’s leading epidemiologist, with his work earning him recognition from WHO and PAHO as well as prestigious private institutions such as Johns Hopkins University and the Rockefeller Fellowship. He has given invaluable guidance to Caribbean leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

McDonald said this year’s nominees embody Jamaican excellence.

“The knowledge and talent exhibited by this group is exceeded only by their devotion to service and to giving of their best to Jamaica’s development and to the protection of our people,” she added.

Other members of the selection committee are CCRP Founder and Executive Chair Jean Lowrie-Chin and former Board Director Karen Gauntlett.

The Living Legacy Awards were first presented in 2012 to recognise significant contributions to nation building.

Previous awardees include Jamaicans from every walk of life – the 2019 recipients were musician Franklyn ‘Frankie’ Campbell; lawyer and retired justice Hubert Bartholomew; retired librarian Stephney Ferguson; gender consultant Linnette Vassell and Jukie and Edith Chin of Juici Patties.

Beloved comedian Oliver Samuels was the 2020 Awardee.

The 2021 Living Legacy Awards Ceremony will take place in Kingston later this year at a date to be announced.