13th April 2008

When I spoke at the funeral for the late Sam Ferguson, I told the story of what my first thoughts were when we lost the General Election almost one year ago.  I thought how all those stalwarts and patriots who had fought so long and hard, who had held on through the dreary years after Sir Lynden lost office, would now be asked to hold on again.  I knew that it would be impossible for many of them to hold on again until fortune smiled on their party once more.  In fact such is fate and the times that I cannot even speak for myself and where I shall be if fortunes smile upon us again.

And so we are here this afternoon to pay our last respects and to mark the life of Seva Moss, a PLP to her core.  There was no joke about it.  No mistake about it and no apology for it.  She was fanatical about it.  She took no nonsense in response to those who opposed it, and she was always trying to win friends and converts to the cause.  She went to her death with that belief.  Indeed, there was no other more sacred cause than the PLP save for this church Macedonia and her savior Jesus Christ.

I have been in this area for eleven years as my party’s political representative.  And through all of those years Mrs. Seva Moss and Clarence Moss have been one.  When ever a meeting was called they were there.  Whatever the cause they came to support.  You could look out into the throngs that gathered and see Clarence and Seva sitting in the audience, present and accounted for.  That was so for all the time that I have been here.

I know it was so during the time of George Mackey because he took me to Clarence and Seva Moss when I first came up here and told me that they were amongst our strongest supporters.  George Mackey has gone on before and I pray that Miss Seva as we all knew her will be able to join him in that better place for a glad reunion.

Ms. Seva was no summer soldier or no sunshine patriot.  When hard times came, she did not head for the tall grass.  She was what she was.  She never achieved high office.  She never achieved riches or reward but it seemed that the simple involvement in the life of the party and the satisfaction of knowing that she had helped in whatever small way was enough to satisfy.  It was not something about which she was embarrassed because the times had changed.  The times may have changed but she remained the same.

Our branch of the Progressive Liberal Party led by the Chairman Charlene Marshal and her executives are here today to say thank you for all the work that Ms. Seva did and to show our support to Clarence and the family in this, their hour of bereavement.  This will be a lonely time because they did everything together.

It seemed to me that the end came all too soon and too rapidly.  It was certainly unexpected.  One day I went to see her in the hospital and she was in excruciating pain.  The nurses did not want to give her medicines that the doctors had not prescribed.  I was able to speak to them and help to solve that problem.  It was the least I could do.

And then the next thing I knew was the sad news that she had passed away.

I know that she has left her commitment, her dedication and all her collective knowledge and wisdom to her sons and daughters.  They have their views about where we should be headed.  It is their time now.  That is the way with time.  The young become the old.  Mysteries do unfold.

I look forward to continue working with the family.

And so on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie, all my colleagues and the Progressive Liberal Party supporters everywhere, on behalf of all of the people of the Fox Hill Village and the wider Fox Hill constituency, it is my honour and privilege to extend heartfelt condolence to the family of Seva Moss.  We shall continue to pray for you all Clarence and the family.   May she rest in peace!