Sir Vivian Richard, a greatest West Indies leader, was awarded the ‘Order of the Caribbean Community’ (CARICOM) Honorary Award at the 43rd Heads of Government Summit held in Suriname on Sunday evening.
It was presented by Chan Santokhi, President of the Republic of Suriname.
Along with him, several other names were proposed for this award, and they are former Barbados government ministers Dame Billy Miller and Trinidad and Tobago Calypsoan David Michael Rudd.
Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards, who made his Test debut against India in 1974, was one of the greatest batsmen ever to represent the West Indies cricket team from 1974 to 1991.
He scored 8,540 runs in 121 Test matches at an average of 50.23, including 24 centuries 45 half centuries.
As a captain, he won 27 of 50 Tests and lost just eight. He has amassed nearly 7,000 runs in ODIs and over 36,000 in first-class cricket. He was knighted in 1999 for his contribution to cricket.
CWI President Ricky Skerritt congratulated Sir Viv on this great honor bestowed by CARICOM.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors of CWI and the entire West Indies Cricket community, I want to congratulate Sir Viv on this tremendous honor, which was conferred on him by CARICOM.”
As well as,
“It is a most fitting honor for a true hero of our region, a man who demonstrated to the world that Caribbean people are capable of punching above our weight by achieving excellence globally. Sir Viv took the baton from the pioneers of West Indies Cricket and established new levels of greatness and dominance for others to follow. He used his God-given talents, his mental and physical readiness, and his cricket bat, to bring glory to West Indians all around the world.”
Three other dignitaries were also honored by CARICOM at the ceremony on Sunday. Such as legendary calypsonian David Rudder, singer of the West Indies cricket song (Rally Round the West Indies), Dame Billie Miller, former Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados, and Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, former Secretary General of CARICOM.