I am writing this on Father’s Day Sunday 16 June.

This is one anniversary that males take second fiddle to females. Mother’s Day.

Here in the Cayman Islands Father’s Day didn’t warrant a note of gratitude to all the things we fathers do from any one of our MLA’s. Perhaps they (the males) were too busy doing fatherly duties to warrant putting ‘pen to paper’. Actually does anyone ever do that anymore? Use a pen and ink to write something down on paper?

Few of us do.

There was an exception from a minister, however.

St. Kitts & Nevis Prime Minister did put out a public statement praising all fathers. He said he felt honoured to be one of them.

He added:

“As the Proud Father of two remarkable young women, I count my blessings that the values and teachings instilled in them as young children remain at the core of who they are.

“This, for me, is The Best Father’s Day Gift of All; and the epitome of why the consistent giving of discipline, time and love is so critically important to successful Fatherhood;and child-rearing.

“Certainly, it takes a village to raise a child, so today I join the rest of the world in thanking all the Father Figures who are always available to give advice and support – as a Father should – and to fill the gap left by those biological fathers who, for whatever reasons, do not participate in activities with their children, as well as talk with and take care of them.”

You can read his whole statement under the heading “St. Kitts & Nevis Prime Minister Harris’ Statement on the Occasion of Father’s Day, June 16th, 2019”.

At Elmslie Memorial Church today all of us fathers (and in fact it got extended to all adult males) received a china mug containing the words “Happy Father’s Day” and a pen. The ball-point variety. This was handed to us by the children there who gave them to us with happy smiling faces.

The church choir was limited to just females. We male members got the day off. Some lovely young ladies gave us a beautiful dance that was deservedly rewarded by a huge applause.

The message was given to us by a lay pastor from the South Sound United Church and he spoke mainly about what a famous father was asked by his children what he wanted most that he didn’t have.

His answer?

“World peace”.

I cannot better that one.

I hope all fathers had a happy and blessed day. I did,