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“It requires, sometimes, visionary leadership to accomplish great things. And Sir Simeon (Daniel) was a visionary leader. And visionary leadership is sometimes lonely; it is lonely because those who don’t share that vision do everything in their power to cry down, to decry and say the most awful things that you can imagine. Forty years on, who was right and who was wrong?
These words were part of the reflection of Premier Mark Brantley as he delivered remarks at the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Bank of Nevis.
Mr. Brantley’s refreshingly insightful 17-minute speech, in our opinion, was not only recognition of the magnificent success that the now-billion-dollar bank has become, but also admiration of those who bravely invested in it from the inception, and an unmistakable charge to Nevisians to have clarity of purpose, be committed to whatever is the task at hand, and embrace it.
Praise for Sir Simeon’s role was also duly heaped upon the great man by the preceding speakers, but Mr. Brantley ensured that the nine persons who joined him and tangibly supported his seemingly far-fetched vision – in the form of $25,000 each – were given credit for their courage and conviction. As he termed it, they “took a leap of faith” to achieve the total investment of $250,000 – a significant sum of money forty years ago.
The Premier reminded the august gathering that the occasion was made possible by those who had a vision “beyond the ordinary”.
“Imagine with me, if you will, where we would have been were it not for this man (Sir Simeon), with this idea, to move us beyond what we know to what is possible…This time in which we live now, 40 years on, and this island called Nevis; I think we must all be cognizant that sometimes ideas which seem far-fetched; ideas which seem beyond our reach and beyond our capacity; ideas where people gather in groups and intellectualize and tell you all the reasons why it would not be possible…that those with hope, those with vision, those with stick-to-itiveness are ultimately honoured, even if they are no longer with us.
And so I celebrate Sir Simeon, but beyond celebrating Sir Simeon, I celebrate what Sir Simeon stood for – because he stood for what is good and great about us as Nevisians. He understood that there is something in our DNA that allows us to aspire, and allows us to succeed, and allows us to be great, notwithstanding the size our island; notwithstanding the circumstances into which we were born…And I believe that that is the lesson of the Bank of Nevis – not so much the billion dollars, but that an idea born of Nevis; an idea born of Sir Simeon; an idea born of a few – that that idea could take root, and that all of us here now can benefit from it, even if some of us did not see the value of it, 40 years ago.”
And so we, ladies and gentlemen, must appreciate that when we celebrate institutions such as the Bank of Nevis; when we celebrate accomplishments like the Bank of Nevis, we are celebrating what is best of us; what is best in us, as Nevisians.”
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