Five Caymanians receive royal gongs

(CNS): There were no knighthoods, OBEs or MBE’s for Cayman in the Queen’s New Year’s honours list but Julene Dorris Banks, Betty Baraud, Frank E. Flowers (left), Brian Patrick (Pat) Randall and Sharon Elaine Roulstone are to receive the Cayman Islands Certificate and Badge of Honour (Cert. Hon). These five also have the honour of being the first people awarded royal gongs by the first, albeit acting, Caymanian governor, Donovan Ebanks, who happens to have his own MBE.

According to a statement from GIS, Baraud is honoured for services to the community through the Cayman Islands Olympic Committee, Randall has been recognized for services to the youth of Cayman through Junior Achievement and Roulstone Banks and Flowers for services to the community.

All five are actively involved in the community from working with the elderly, local sport, young people to serving on boards and helping local NGOs.

The Cert. Hon is the only royal gong which is considered as well as nominated locally and was first awarded in 1959. As with other honours, long service is not enough and nominees must have shown outstanding, innovative or self-sacrificing services, whether paid or unpaid, in one field or several, which has raised them above those of others performing similar services.