Farewell to a senator - and a dear friend

Fri, Feb 5th 2016, 06:00 AM

Dion Foulkes pays tribute to his late friend and former senator, Edwin ‘Wykee’ Brown, whose state recognised funeral takes place today at Bethel Baptist Church, Meeting Street, at 11am. It is better to walk in the dark with a friend than to walk in the light alone. Edwin ‘Wykee’ Brown was my good friend.

I first met Wykee in 1970, just after the Free Progressive Liberal Party was formed. My brother Brendan and I would accompany our father to the Free PLP’s headquarters in Fox Hill. Jimmy Shepherd owned this property and he loaned it to the party for its headquarters.

For the ensuing 46 years we developed a very close relationship, indeed a brotherhood. The Free National Movement was formed in October the following year.

We all know about the contribution our leaders made during this period: Sir Cecil Wallace Whitfield and the ‘Dissident Eight,’ Sir Kendal Isaacs and Sir Orville Turnquest. But little is said or written about the men and women who made up the party machinery.

Day in and day out they worked to establish what eventually became a mighty, national political institution that is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year. They also deserve great credit along with our founding fathers.

I speak of men and women like Wykee, Basil Nicholls, Clifford Cooper, Chuck Virgil, Rudy Penn, Garth Wright, Oswald Marshall, Chess Woods, Nesbitt Higgins, Jit Culmer, Fred Ramsey, Theo Farquharson, Oswald Munnings, Alpheus Ramsey, Hilda Antonio, Yvette Bethel, Althea Sands, Patricia Isaacs, Patricia Lightbourn, Yvonne Isaacs, Patsy Anderson, Brenda Archer and many others.

You had to be plenty man or plenty woman to dare to support the FNM openly under Pindling’s PLP, especially in those early days. The PLP ruled with an iron first. They mercilessly victimised FNMs.

Well, these brave men and women, including our brother Wykee, were dedicated to the principles of the FNM. In the 1972 general election, as a young man, Wykee put everything on the line and was our candidate in the Bain Town constituency.

My father was the standard bearer in the neighbouring Grants Town constituency. So when we put our posters up on the poles in our area we also assisted in Bain Town.

To run against the PLP in an Over-the-Hill seat in those days was not only difficult, it was also dangerous. But Wykee was a courageous man. In addition to hot water and rocks being thrown on us and at us, on one occasion we were shot at. But Wykee was never discouraged. He also ran in Cooper’s Town, Abaco in 1977. Wykee managed our general election campaigns in 1982, 1987 and 1992. He also served as National Vice Chairman.

When in 2000, our then Leader and Prime Minister, Hubert Ingraham, recommended Wykee to be a senator, all of us instantly and without reservation supported his appointment.

Wykee, Chuck and Rudy took a number of us, men and women, under their wings and schooled us in the art of politics. Fellow freedom fighters like Tommy Turnquest, Carl Bethel, Brent Symonette, Dwight Sawyer, Dr Nigel Lewis, Sidney Collie, David Thompson, Desmond Edwards, Dereck Simms, Michael Foulkes, Cyril Boxer Minnis, Alvy Penn, Fred Williamson, Phillip and Lloyd Stubbs (Big Mama and Lil Mama), Charles Hunt, Ricky Mackey, Francis Sawyer, Goofy Brown, Greg Woods, Theresa Moxey Ingraham, Erma Williams, Jay Dorsett, Althea Sands, Sherry Albury, Alextine Clark, and many others.

What we will miss most is the fun times we had. Wherever Wykee lived his home was always open to FNMs.

Wykee firmly believed that the more we socialised the closer we would become. He encouraged us to become not only friends but family.

Whether it was Dr Granville Bain’s house out west or the Same Ole Place or Briteleys or on top of the hill at Strachan’s or at Jeff’s on Arawak Cay, or his home at Treasure Cove, he led the way in making sure we stayed all together.

We are a very fortunate organisation to have had a freedom fighter like Edwin ‘Wykee’ Brown. He and his family caught holy hell for our party and gave much of their personal resources and time to build this great party.

To Wykee’s family, I say thank you very much for the sacrifices you all made and continue to make for our great party and our beloved country.

My father has asked me to assure the family of his deepest sympathy since he cannot be here today and since he also has a family funeral at the same time on Friday.

Take your rest, my brother, and may the angels receive you into Paradise.

Dion Foulkes is a former FNM minister, MP and Senator

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