By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net 

MORE than two dozen Bahamians have been recognised in Queen Elizabeth’s 2021 New Year’s Honours list for their outstanding service to the country, with health consultant Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis leading the list.

The 2021 list celebrates 24 Bahamians from diverse backgrounds who have made significant contributions to various sectors in the country.

Topping the special list was Dr Dahl-Regis, who was selected for Companion of Most Excellent Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (CMG) for her services to public and community health.

According to a Pan American Health Organisation biography, Dr Dahl-Regis was one of the first women to graduate in medicine in The Bahamas during the 1960s. She is credited as spearheading several ground-breaking health initiatives in the region and in 2010, she was appointed to lead PAHO’s International Expert Committee (IEC) for verification of the elimination of measles, rubella and congenital rubella syndrome.

Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Dr Dahl-Regis has played a key role in the country’s national response, putting in place strategies, policies and procedures to help manage the health crisis.

While she is no longer heading the COVID-19 task force team, she still serves as special consultant to the Office of the Prime Minister.

Named Commanders of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) are James Mitchell Pinder for service to politics and business and Walter Wells for services to business and industry.

Speaking to The Tribune yesterday, Mr Wells, president and CEO of Caribbean Bottling Company, said he was both surprised and humbled to learn he would be awarded the special recognition.

“I was pretty surprised and obviously very humbled by the thought that someone would want to recognise me,” he said.

“It would’ve been a matter of a couple of weeks that I was asked about it and so it’s not like I knew this was going to happen in September.

“Certainly, I don’t think and I think most people don’t go through life expecting that someone is going to come along and pat you on the back and say ‘well done, my good and faithful friend of service’ so it was very much a pleasant surprise and obviously very humbling that someone would take the time to consider recognising me.”

He also said the recognition serves as a great start for him in the 2021 new year.

Also receiving special distinction was Dr Charles William Diggiss, Fredrik Gottlieb and Jeffrey Williams, Bahamas ambassador to the Republic of Haiti. The three men were named Officers of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE).

Meanwhile, those named Members of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) include Charlotte Joanne Albury, Jason Matthew Albury, Reverend Remelda Carey, Captain Whitfield Neely, Grover Martin Pinder, Ruban Roberts and Chad Wilson Sawyer.

For the British Empire Medal (BEM) honour, five women and four men received the award. These include Laura Benson for services to religion and community activities, Jeanette Davis for service to the community, Etienne Farquharson for services to business and community involvement; Chenena Gibson for service to politics and civil involvement; Neca Cecilia Knowles for services to business; Linda Mae Sands for services to community involvement; Gabriel Styles for religious work; Boynell Williams for services to community and Kenneth Robert Wood for services to business and politics.

Awarded the Queen’s Police Medal for their services to the Royal Bahamas Police Force are Assistant Commissioner of Police Ashton Greenslade and Assistant Commissioner Loretta Mackey.