By: Precious Mills
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Monday 21st October 2024) – On Thursday, October 3rd, 2024, the life and legacy of the late Earle Clarke were celebrated in an emotional ceremony held near his family home in Bird Rock, Basseterre.
Clarke, a renowned community activist, social and political commentator, and former official of the St. Kitts and Nevis Cuban Friendship Association, was posthumously awarded the Friendship Medal by the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP). This high honour recognized Clarke’s significant contributions to fostering strong ties between St. Kitts and Nevis and Cuba.
Tamara Armenteros Alcee, an official of ICAP, presented the medal during her visit to the Federation. Mrs. Dorothy Clarke, widow of the late Earle Clarke, received the medal on behalf of her husband. Visibly moved, she expressed her deep gratitude for the recognition. “I am stunned to know what to say. I know that Earl loved Cuba. He loved the Cuban government. He loved the Cuban people. He loved everything Cuban,” she said with emotion, as she held the medal close.
President of the Cuba Alumni Association, Telca Wallace, read the declaration for the award. The document emphasized Clarke’s pivotal role in establishing the St. Kitts and Nevis Cuba Friendship Association and his unwavering commitment to the Cuban Solidarity Movement. Clarke was lauded as a “historical and unconditional friend of the Cuban Revolution and its social political projects initiated in 1959,” and an advocate for the Cuban cause, especially in denouncing the United States’ economic blockade against Cuba.
Mrs. Clarke, reflecting on her husband’s passion for Cuba, shared a personal story about his dedication. “He loved Cuba so much that our library has quite a few Cuban documents, Cuban writings, Cuban things. As I said, he was an avid reader. Even the—what do you call it—the Cuban Five. There is a book right there still,” she said. Her words painted a picture of a man whose love for Cuba was deeply ingrained in every aspect of his life.
Earle Clarke was a vocal supporter of the Cuban Revolution, writing numerous articles condemning the U.S. blockade on Cuba and advocating for the release of the Cuban Five. His active collaboration with the Cuban Embassy and his regular engagement with Cuban doctors and engineers further solidified his commitment to strengthening relations between St. Kitts and Cuba. Clarke’s dedication was not only in his writing but in his actions, including frequent trips to Cuba, attending May Day parades, and holding exchanges with ICAP officials.
Mrs. Clarke’s heartfelt tribute also revealed a personal connection that extended even to their family. “He loved Fidel. Our third daughter is named Fidela…and she is over 40 years old, so you could see how long he looked out for the cause of Cuba. You know, he was all Cuban. There wasn’t anybody who could say anything against Cuba for him,” she noted with pride.
The *Friendship Medal*, proposed in 2023 under Presidential Decree 642 by Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, is a distinguished honor that recognizes individuals and organizations for their outstanding contributions to international solidarity with Cuba. Clarke’s posthumous award is a testament to his enduring legacy as a champion of social justice and solidarity.
During the ceremony, Cuban Ambassador to St. Kitts and Nevis, David Rivero, and his wife presented Mrs. Clarke with a bouquet of flowers, marking the occasion with respect and admiration.
President of the Cuba Alumni Association, Telca Wallace, spoke passionately about Earle Clarke’s unique character and his contribution to the Cuban cause. She remarked, “This is a very, very important declaration, and I don’t think there are many persons in the world who have received this. And so, I’m glad the Labour Spokesman is here because Mr. Clarke was a prolific writer for the Labour Spokesman. I think Mr. Clarke was such a unique individual, and many of these quality of persons do not come around in one generation. And he was able to live through several generations.”
Wallace reflected on Clarke’s resilience and dedication to his work: “Even though he was incapacitated, he climbed the stairs with his wheelchair up and down. He made sure he got into Basseterre on a regular basis just so that he could make people feel good by saying, ‘Hello, beautiful lady. Hello, handsome gentleman.’ He also went to the hospital on a regular basis, and when he got to the hospital, he would visit everyone and he would cheer up persons who were down.”
She concluded her remarks with a deeply personal acknowledgment of Clarke’s commitment: “In our association, Mr. Clarke was my right hand and my left hand because anything we had to do, he would participate fully. And he was committed, publicly and privately, to the Cuban Revolution. For that, I am very happy that even though he’s not here, I think his spirit is here, and the person who sacrificed the most beside him was his wife. And that she is able to receive the award—so all is well.”