Conference of Heads of Government, Suriname, 4-5 July 2022.

Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards is a national of Antigua and Barbuda. He was born on March 7 1952 and raised in Ovals. He comes from a working class community on the southern side of the capital city St. John’s, which produced several national cricketers and footballers before him.

Sir Vivian – known in Antigua as ‘Vivi’ – is from a family of four boys. His father, Malcolm, is a prison officer who played football and cricket at national levels. His mother, Gretel, a church-going stay-at-home mom has been described as the ‘pacifier’ of the family.  Sir Vivian is father of four wonderful kids: Mali, Matara, Masaba and Nikka.

He was educated at the St. John’s Boys Primary School and the prestigious Antigua Grammar School, which contributed to his sport life and his discipline character development.

In 1974, he was selected into the West Indies team and within 2 years became a very important player for the West Indies. Between 1984 and 1991, Sir Vivian captained the West Indian cricket team and, led the team to twenty-seven victories. He remains the only West Indies captain to have never lost a Test series.

In the year 2000 he was named by a 100-member panel of cricket experts, appointed by the famous Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the 20th century.

The life story of Sir Vivian is emblematic of a symbiotic love affair between an individual and a community. Sir Vivian seen as the ‘embodiment of the hopes and aspirations of his homeland’.  Pundits had gleaned that his batting style – aggressive and passionate – was rooted in and an expression of a defiant national culture. At that early age he was seen as the ‘embodiment of the hopes and aspirations of his homeland’. It was a burden that Vivi Richards accepted. He has rewarded and continues to reward his society for that faith expressed in him.

Sports writers compete to describe his approach to batting – scouring the dictionary to find the most illustrative and descriptive words. Those who were excited by his power sprinkled cricket literature with words like – awesome, ballistic, brutal, carnage, dismantling, devastating, ferocious, imperious, insane, intimidating, lethal. Those who saw beauty and art wrote – arrogance, clinical, flamboyant, grace, mastery, swagger. Those who saw both beauty and power described his batting as ‘calculated menace and magnificent theatre.’ The more adventurous – unafraid of hyperbole – wrote of him bestriding ‘the cricketing world like the proverbial colossus’ or living ‘beyond the boundary of the orthodox’. All were aware of his self- confidence and fearlessness, noting that although he played against some of the most intimidating and fearsome fast bowlers that the cricketing world has known, he never wore a batting helmet.

Sir Vivian understood and emphasized that ‘cricket is more than a sport’. He saw it as ‘a political and social process’ capable of uniting the Caribbean region. He understood deeply what the success of cricket meant to the West Indies, and as a player he played the game with pride and intensity, that at times led to criticism of his leadership style.  

Sir Vivian saw cricket as a Caribbean contribution to the international struggle against racism and white supremacy. His Afro-Caribbean socio-political sensibilities blossomed through identification with Rastafarianism and the Black Power movement into Pan-African thought and consciousness. An open cheque could not entice him to play cricket in apartheid South Africa. He considers his rejection of the million US dollar offer as ‘the greatest innings he ever played.’ It earned him regional and international respect in which he still basks.

He has written ‘I would like to think that I carried my bat for the liberation of African and other oppressed people everywhere’.

His Honors

• In 1994, Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to cricket.
• In 1999, Knight Commander of the Order of the Nation (KCN) by his native country Antigua and Barbuda.
• In 2006, Knight of the Order of the National Hero (KNH).
• In 2007, the new cricket stadium in Antigua and Barbuda, replete with life-size statue, was named in his honour.
• The Calcutta Cricket and Football Club has honoured him with a life membership.
• The Somerset Cricket Club –, has named one of the gates to the Taunton grounds in his honour.
• The Richards–Botham Trophy named in his honour and replaced the Wisden Trophy to the winner of each West Indies–England Test series.

A grateful Caribbean Community presents Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards, its highest award the Order of the Caribbean Community (OCC).

The early years of CARIFESTA were captured from the Newspaper clippings collection sourced from The National Library of Guyana.  The CARIFESTA collection currently covers information emanating from all the CARIFESTAs held to date.   The Collection is supplemented by contributions from the Directorate of Human and Social Development through its Culture desk which liaises with the various  Directors of Culture in the region and with the Secretariats of the Host Country.

The Collection includes consultants’ and country reports, articles extracted from  magazines, correspondence, press releases, information leaflets, presentations at  Symposia, programmes, various CARIFESTA themes; posters, photographs and  newspaper clippings.

Explore CARIFESTA through the years

These goals serve as a guideline for developing appropriate programme interventions and resource allocations, both at the regional and national level. Goals and targets should be reviewed from time to time to ensure they adequately and effectively respond to the needs and challenges of target populations. Importantly, while achieving the goals and targets of the CYAP, CYAs can help young people achieve their goals through matching the programmes implemented and the policies with their needs.

Strategic Goals of the CYAP

• Goal 1: Educate Youth about regional issues and assist/encourage them to take advantage of an contribute to opportunities under the Caribbean Community’s Programme.
• Goal 2: Integrate Youth Perspectives and encourage youth participation in the Caribbean Community’s Broader Social and Economic Development Systems.
• Goal 3: Advocate for the rights of Young People and contribute to the development and implementation of effective national and regional policies and sustainable programme.
• Goal 4: Promote Caribbean identify and citizenship among Young People.
• Goal 5: Monitor and evaluate the implementation of the CYAP.

It was on behalf of the struggling working class in Antigua and Barbuda that he campaigned, sparking off a long and committed political career for the independence of his nation and well being of his peoples. His active involvement in the Antigua Trades and Labour Union resulted in better conditions of work and pay, the abolition of child labour and benefits for retired workers.

The political transformation of Antigua and Barbuda through the introduction of universal adult suffrage, internal self-government and independence were engineered by Vere Bird who was appointed his country’s first Chief Minister. In 1967, he became the Premier of Antigua and in 1981 the first Prime Minister of independent Antigua and Barbuda.

To his credit as political leader of Antigua and Barbuda are improvements in the education system, including free education, free medical service, revolutionising of the country’s telecommunications infrastructure, and utilities. He fashioned the creation of his country’s constitution in which was guaranteed human and civil rights for its citizens.

A true and dedicated regionalist, Vere Bird has played an integral role in Caribbean unity from the period of Federation, through CARIFTA to CARICOM, and was one of the signatories to the CARIFTA Agreement in 1965.

His record of achievements as political leader of Antigua and Barbuda and the integration movement has earned him “first claim to the title of Patron of the Movement for Caribbean integration, development and progress”.

Date of Membership in CARICOM: 4 Jul 1974 – Learn more about membership in CARICOM

Also Known as:The Island of 365 Beaches. (Root: Waladli and Wa’onomi (Amerindian))

Status of Independence:Independent 1981/11/01

Area: 442 km2 (170 miles2)

Capital City: St. John’s

Population: : 90,801(2015)

Currency: Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$)

Highest National Award: Order of the Nation

GDP Growth: GDP Growth: –3.6% p.a. 2009–13

GNI: GNI: US$1.2bn

GNI PC: GNI PC: US$12,910