Farewell Honourable RT O’Neal!
Thousands of mourners converged inside the Multipurpose Sports Complex in Road Town on Wednesday to pay their final respects to the late former Premier, the Honourable Ralph T O’Neal.
Prior to the service, uniformed groups, family members and friends walked from the RT O’Neal Government Administration Complex to the venue in tribute to the late legislator.
And following the nearly three-hour-long service, the body of O’Neal was transported to Virgin Gorda to be laid to rest next to his father’s grave, as per the former Premier’s wishes.
Tributes
Several individuals paid tribute to the late legislator including the Governor Augustus Jaspert, Premier Andrew Fahie and Minister of Health & Social Development Carvin Malone.
“Honourable O’Neal was a legend, a statesman, a disciplined politician and historian who leaves a strong legacy for the legislators of this Territory to follow,” Governor Augustus Jaspert said.
Meanwhile, Premier Fahie said the late legislator “touched many lives as his work as a long-time servant of the people bears a good testimony of his civil service, from civil servant to public figure.”
He added: “Whether he served as an administrator, Leader of the Opposition, Chief Minister or first Premier, he firmly believed that, through all the changing scenes of life, in trouble and in joy, the praises of my God shall still his heart and tongue employ. Honourable O’Neal could be described as one of the last bastions of politics as we knew it in the Virgin Islands.”
Premier Fahie said O’Neal was also a gentleman who commanded decorum and upheld the greatest respect for this House of Assembly.
“He was indeed a teacher and a pillar of exemplary work not only for us who were trained under his guidance but for his other political peers in the Caribbean region and perhaps the world.”
His daughters, Esther O’Neal Wheatley, said she would miss his counsel while his youngest offspring Abigail O’Neal said her dad was a man who gave others the utmost respect no matter what their status in society.
His wife, Reverend Edris O’Neal, did not attend the funeral service because she was unwell.
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The esteemed and his crew did a fantastic job RIP UNCLE
Cavin speech was soo horrible. Almost like it was given to him couple hours before… plus not even something to eat for all those school kids and elders. Service was way to long . No water noting. ?
Didn’t get to listen to the speech BUT I ate twice so stop talking piddle.
Yeah you would have…damn pig. ?
That’s not true the school children were given thing to eat they ate at a different location and still came and ate at the Complex after the funeral.
CAN YOU DO EVEN ANYTHING NEAR A PIN TIP AS MUCH AS HE DID. I CAN SEE YOU ARE NOT A TRUE CHILD OF THE SOIL BVI – SO I SAY TO YOU GO BACK AND CRITIZE YOUR HOME, AND IF YOU WERE BORN IN THE BVI – GO AND EDUCATE YOUR SELF SOME THAT IS MISSING IN YOUR LIFE SAD TO SAY – DO SOME READING OF YOUR HISTORY AND LESS NEGATIVE COMMENT. GO GET A BOOK OR ASK SOME FAMILY MEMBER FOR HELP IN TEACHING YOU SOME RESPECT IN RECOGNIZE WHAT A GREAT MAN PREMIER O’NEAL WAS. IT IS OUR TIME AS A BLACK COMMUNITY TO BE PROUD – PROUD OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS. WHEN YOU GET UP EVERYDAY TAKE A LOOK AROOUND YOU – AND SAY TO YOUR SELF – WHAT HAVE I DONE TO MAKE THE BVI TO HAVE ACHIEVED ALL THAT IS IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND TO – APPRECIATE – AND STOP PUTTING DOWN – WHAT YOU CAN’T DO – YOU JUST ARE FULL OF YOUR SHORT COMMINGS. GO SOMEWHERE AND LEARN – LEARN!!!!
It was not a party, it was a funeral.
But still the comment above said she/ he ate twice ?. Lmao so
The blogger didn’t say drinks.. they said water… and I agree. At least . For a service that long.. water would have suffice. I can tell you are not the brightest ?
They didn’t say everyone… school kids and elders. .. what’s wrong with that?
The anti jw crew just don’t want to give him credit
HON. RALPH T. ONEAL
Member Emeritus, OBE
A Requiem, Written for This Day, For This Hour, And That Hour They Inter Him
By Tafari Zharr.
[Breathe In]
Oh, Virgin Islanders
His Days Were Numbered
Thirty-One Thousand, Three Hundred Seventy- Seven (31,377)
And You Held on To Him Thirty Days More
Monday Till Wednesday
Picture-Perfect, Statesman, Procession:
Showered with Adulation Three (3) Days
Before They’d Later [Privately] Inter Him
Jack, It’s Hard to Believe RTO Is Gone
Oh, Virgin Islanders
Oh, It’s Up to You Now
Left to Be Seen What You’ll Do
With What He Advanced
Oh, Of Freedoms Be Neither Sleep nor Still
Oh, Great Man, Groomed to Become More Than an Island
Oh, Whose Days Are No Longer, And Nights Are No More
Oh, Whose Profound Legacy—Virgin Islanders: Simply
He Did It, Get Up, Go, and Grow
Oh, Virgin Islanders
Oh, Approbations: Left by Him for You
A Great Blue Print Of Life
Oh, For His Period, Strong, Reconstruction Efforts, Sing Sweeter, Newer, Lullabies
Oh, For His Hopes of Economic Equity and Security
Be Neither Blind nor Distilled
Oh, For Our Stability and Preservation Make Homes
Not Houses, Polished, High on Hills
Oh, Virgin Islanders
Oh, For His Ambitions Traded for Yours
Oh, For Her Hopes Prorogued for Yours
Oh, For Their Futures Deferred for Yours
Oh, For His Promises Fragmented for Yours
Oh, Virgin Islanders
His Love Has Been Your Affairs
Oh, For His Aberration for Virgin Gorda
Oh, For A Romanticism with Tortola
Oh, For A Proclivity for Anegada
Oh, For His Political Life, A Sac-ri-fice?
Oh, Virgin Islanders,
Oh, But for His Earlier Excitement in The Vicinage
You Might Never
You Might Never Have
You Might Never Have Had
Your Treasured, Highly Acclaimed, and Colossal Rising Son!
[Repeat: Breathe In, hold it, Breathe Out].
Oh, Virgin Islanders
His Days Were Numbered:
Thirty-One Thousand, Three Hundred Seventy-Seven (31,377)
And You Held on To Him Thirty (30) Days More
Monday Till Wednesday
Picture-Perfect, Statesman, Procession:
Showered with Adulation Three (3) Days
Before They’d Later [Privately] Inter Him
Jack, It’s Hard to Believe RTO Is Gone
And Alongside Him Came the Turtle Dove Inviting Him Home
[Breathe Out]:
May the Honorable Ralph Tedford O’Neal, OBE, Member Emeritus, Rest in Peace,
My Condolences on the Passing of Your Father, and Husband, You Are All in My Heart and Mind and in those of the People of The Virgin Islands, He Has Truly become a political virtuoso, admired and Beloved.
All Right Reserved. Copyright © 2019. Tafari Zharr.
Rest In Peace sir! Your family was very good to me growing up. My Condolences to Ms.Edris and Abby. Peace be with you!