BY SHEENA FORDE-CRAIGG | JUN 27, 2023
President of Barbados, The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason poses for a photograph with Gurdip Bath at State House yesterday. Mr. Bath was conferred the award for Honorary Order of the Republic. (C. Pitt/BGIS)
President of Barbados, The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason, yesterday conferred the award for Honorary Order of the Republic to Gurdip Bath, at State House.
Mr. Bath was named in the 2022 Independence Day Honours List, and is being recognised for arranging the logistics and facilitating the transportation of 100,000 AstraZeneca vaccines from India to Barbados in February 2021, thus allowing the island to commence its vaccination programme against COVID-19.
After conferring the medal, Dame Sandra told Mr. Bath: “When I heard what you had done, I was looking for someone much older than yourself, and that is why your youth has made it even more of a privilege and an honour for me, on behalf of Barbados, to give you this award.
“Now I remember when COVID struck, and I remember very clearly how we needed those vaccines. And again, we want to say…thank you very much for coming to our rescue at that time…. We appreciated it, and we continue to appreciate it; and that’s why this small token is our evidence of our appreciation.”
Mr. Bath who originates from India, is a citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis and resides there. He is a Special Representative for Entrepreneurship and Development to the High Commission in London.
He shared that through a connection with Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skeritt, he was approached to reach out to the Indian Government to procure the much needed COVID-19 vaccines, and he acceded to the request.
“I feel honoured…I feel so good. Thank you, thanks to Barbados, thanks to the President [and] to Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley,” Mr. Bath said, about receiving his award.
Mr. Bath was accompanied by his wife, Sandip Bath, and their daughter Areen Bath.
