By Nelson A. King
Vincent L. Bacchus, a longstanding
stalwart of the main
opposition New Democratic
Party (NDP) in St. Vincent and
the Grenadines, died on March
26 in Queens after a short period
of illness. He was 84.
Bacchus, a former president
of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Progressive Organization
of New York (SPOONY),
the NDP’s New York arm, and
former president of the Brooklyn
based group, Vincentian
American Independent National
Charities, Inc. (VINCI), was
interred on Thursday, April 4 in
Queens.
According to Bernard Wyllie,
a former St. Vincent and the
Grenadines government minister
and public relations officer
of SPOONY, Bacchus was predeceased
by his wife, Gloria,
of 62 years, and his sons, Nick
and Anthony “Code Red.” Gloria
Bacchus died on Jan. 24, 2019.
Wyllie, who was Counsellor
to the St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Mission to the United
Nations, during the reign of the
NDP, described Bacchus as “a
humble man who had a great
sense of humor.
“He was a foundation member
and first president of the
Progressive Organization of
New York, Inc.,” he told Caribbean
Caribbean L 26 ife, April 12–18, 2019
Life over the weekend. “He
was a fixture on the executive
body of SPOONY and served
in various capacities in the
organization, including president,
vice-president, and treasurer;
and, up to the time of
his passing, he was one of the
trustees.”
Wyllie said Bacchus held “a
wealth of institution knowledge”
of the NDP and especially
within SPOONY.
“He was a long-standing and
vocal member of SVGNDP, a
daily listener to the party’s programs,
as well as Nice Radio,
and a frequent contributor to its
call-in programs,” said Wyllie,
referring to the local radio station,
which is often described as
the “mouthpiece” of the NDP.
“He was highly respected for
his keen interest in resolving
matters relative to the advancement
of the organization,” he
added. “He was always prompt
and paid rapt attention to the
details of every cause, whether
it was to attend meetings, where
he would be the first to arrive or
any event hosted by SPOONY.
“He always ensured that the
fundamentals were put in place,
so that a successful outcome
was assured,” he continued.
“’Brother B’, as he was so affectionately
called, never hesitated
to remind his SPOONY colleagues
of his ‘seniority’, while
simultaneously demonstrating
his agility to perform as productively
as any other member.
“If he had to resort to a militaristic
style in order to accomplish
a task, he would do so, but
will never forget to thank you
after the goal had been successfully
accomplished,” Wyllie
said.
He said Bacchus was also
highly reliable and very “appreciative
of the respect his colleagues
bestowed on him.”
In addition, Wyllie said Bacchus
served St. Vincent and the
Grenadines as a police officer,
primarily in the Radio and Telecommunications
Department.
“He was a technician and
an avid Ham radio operator,”
he said.
Stephen “Scombo” John,
SPOONY president, also told
Caribbean Life that: “If you
were unfamiliar with Mr. Bacchus,
you would not realize
that, under that militaristic
exterior was a God-fearing man
of great compassion and generosity.”
He said Bacchus’s adult life
was shaped by his experience
in the Royal St. Vincent and
Grenadines Police Force.
“From the way he dressed,
the way he spoke, to the way
he conducted his life, the influence
Vincent Bacchus. Stephen “Scombo” John
of the police force was
quite evident,” said John, a
retired public school principal
in Brooklyn.
“It is that combination of
admired characteristics that
won him the respect and
admiration of the members of
SPOONY,” he added.
John said Bacchus served
“with distinction and honor”
every position he held in
SPOONY.
“However, it was his parliamentary
and militaristic guidance
that we would remember
most,” he said. “For Bro B, the
only way to get things done was
the right way.
“He was meticulous in taking
notes, and he combined
that skill with an excellent
memory to keep us in line,”
he added. “I benefited from
his generosity and resourcefulness.”
Long-standing Vincentian
opposition stalwart passes