Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com

BVI mourns one of its longest-serving legislators
01-16-2007

ROAD TOWN, BVI: Chief Minister of the British Virgin Islands - Dr Orlando Smith is joining the rest of the community in mourning the passing of Terrance B. Lettsome, one of the Territory’s longest serving legislators and its first Minister of Communications, Works and Utilities.

Mr Lettsome died last Friday.

The Chief Minister said that Mr Lettsome, who served for 36 years as a member of the Legislative Council from 1963-1999, was a great statesman and served his beloved country well.

Letttsome was first elected to the Legislative Council in November 1963. He was re-elected to the Legislature under the ministerial system and was appointed as the Territory’s first Minister of Communications and Works and Utilities on April 14, 1967.

He was appointed Minister for Communications and Works in 1990, a position he held until 1995. He served another term as backbencher and retired in 1999.

In addition to serving as a minister, during his tenure in the Legislative Council, Mr Lettsome served as Opposition member, Deputy Speaker and Government backbencher.

As a tribute to his outstanding record of service, in March 2002 the Beef Island Airport was named in his honour. In an interview for the 2000 publication of Empowerment through Representation, published to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the Legislative Council, Mr.

Lettsome is quoted as saying, "Although I am now retired from public service, I'll never retire from God's service until death.” The same publication describes Mr Lettsome as a legislator who served 36 years of committed, dedicated and uninterrupted service especially to the people of the Seventh District.

All members of the legislature paid tribute to Mr Lettsome's passing during last Friday's Sitting of the Legislative Council.