…Night of reflection held last Sunday

A NUMBER of heartfelt and emotional tributes poured in for the late Alison Butters-Grant last Sunday evening, at Malteenoes Sports Club, when a ‘Night of Reflection to celebrate the ‘Life’ of the late Alison Butters-Grant’ was held.

A wake was scheduled to be held at the same location on Monday evening, while her funeral is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 29 January, at the St. Philip’s Anglican Church, St Philip’s Green, Smyth Street, Werk-en-Rust beginning from 12:00hrs (midday).
Viewing of the body will take place from 12:00 to 13:00hrs, while from 13:00hrs to 14:00hrs will be provided to facilitate further tributes, for those wishing to do so.
The funeral service is expected to begin at 14:00hrs.

Popularly-known for being the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director of Global Seafoods Distributors, Butters-Grant died on January 13 in the United States of America, after losing a battle against cancer.

Butter-Grant had migrated to the U.S. but returned to Guyana to establish Global Seafood Distributors, a processing and packaging facility which supplies seafood products locally, to the Caribbean and the US.

Speaking at the tribute on behalf of the family, Butters-Grant’s daughters, Tiffany and Tricina, noted how important the family felt it was to their mother’s legacy to have her body brought back to Guyana for burial.

Delivering the feature address at Sunday’s event was Chairman of the National Congress of Women (NCW), and Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence, who described Butters-Grant as a God-fearing, phenomenal and patriotic daughter of Guyana.
“We have lost a friend, a sister, a woman of great stature and calibre, an icon and a daughter of the soil, whose invaluable contribution to country will remain forever etched in our minds,” Lawrence conveyed.

Lawrence remembered Butters-Grant, in particular, for the role model she was to women everywhere as a trailblazing entrepreneur.

“Alison was cognisant from a tender age of the capacity of women to make a difference. Alison demonstrated the heights to which women could climb, and by indefatigable efforts, showed us that nothing is impossible with God. To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the Heaven; Alison fulfilled that purpose unequivocally. She had a strong sense of family, she loved her country and she dedicated her energies towards its development,” Lawrence commented.

Also present at the memorial were several public officials including: Deputy Mayor Alfred Mentore; former Mayor Patricia Chase-Green; GECOM Commissioner Vincent Alexander; Ambassador Rawle Lucas and Region Three REO, Jennifer Ferreira-Dougall.
A song advocating against the ills of domestic violence, was performed by reigning Junior Calypso Monarch Jovinski Thorne, with much commendation from the large audience.

The song was noted for being in keeping with Butters-Grant’s work as an advocate for the rights of women and youths, both in Guyana and abroad.

Alexander in his remarks recalled his association with Butters-Grant in various capacities, within various organisations. He highlighted the time the two spent as members of the University of Guyana (UG) Council, during which they struck up a friendship.

“I have known Alison in various spheres. She was a unifier, always bringing the different sides together. She was about the community,” Alexander noted.
Programme Manager at National Communications Network (NCN), Wendy Hermonstine, also delivered remarks. She recalled her days of growing up in the same street with Butters-Grant and forming a bond with her years ago.

Earlier this month, President David Granger had noted how saddened he was by Butters-Grant’s passing. He remembered her as “greatly admired and respected as a female entrepreneur and trailblazer.”

Granger had last year toured Global Seafoods Distributors and noted how upstanding the business was and “entirely in keeping with Government’s food security policy.”