By Barbara A Arrindell
Happy 100th birthday to Dr (Medical – UWI-1954), Dr (Hon-Phd – UWI – July 2021), Dame (She was knighted – Nov 2021), Lady (her late husband was knighted) Ruby Beryl Viola Lake- Ricards born July 9th, 1922 in Antigua and Barbuda. CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES.
DR. RUBY LAKE-RICHARDS was educated at the TOR Memorial High School.
Ruby furthered her studies at the University of the West Indies and was part of the first set of students to graduate from the UWI School of Medicine. She then returned to Antigua to work alongside Dr. Winter before moving to Trinidad with her husband and step children.
When she returned she was stationed at a government clinic at Carty Hill in Glanvilles. She also maintained a private practice in St. John’s. Dr. Lake-Richards and her husband later moved up north and Ruby went back to school to study Psychiatry at McGill University.
She subsequently taught at that University, retiring only within the last decade. Until the pandemic restricted her movements she continued to spend her free time at the library and in other academic pursuits.
In 2021 she was honoured by UWI and by the government and people of Antigua and Barbuda.
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Congratulations Dr. Ruby Beryl Viola Lake-Richards on your 100 years of excellence! You benefited from the educational opportunities, secondary and tertiary, and shared the benefits with us. Many within the education system did not have those opportunities and ended up as unskilled laborers.
All of us must know this and never, never forget it:
“A people without knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”
Our Centenarians had few choices within the economic system to earn a living: “washing, cleaning, working in the canefield and picking cotton.”
They provided the labor that produced the economic wealth and cultural benefits of our colonizers.
Our Centenarians survived by practicing the fundamental economic principle: “eat a little, save a little and spend a little.” And spiritually, they internalized hope of a better future, faith, through religion.
Now, “What’s in your hand?” smartphone, iPhone, tablet – a computer! Use it as a beginner, learn all you can about the electronic device – Computer Science, Coding. Use it to research, study, learn STEM subjects; Economics; Finance; business subjects – Bookkeeping; Accounting; Caribbean History. Apply the knowledge to start businesses. With your Antiguan and Barbudan entrepreneurial spirit mixed with your talent, skill and capability, create, innovate and build business enterprises and get things done. And, for whatever reason, you ‘hit the ground’ , always, always get back up! Never give up!
Pre-K to tertiary, our education system MUST prioritize STEM and business curriculum, powered by our Caribbean creative Arts (consciousness).We must get rid of our STEM INFERIORITY COMPLEX. STEM Is achievable and rewarding for everyone. Move in the right direction!
Our economic growth and social development REQUIRE that transformation from education for colonial elite management and unskilled labor.
HEALTH. CRISIS, yesterday, today and tomorrow! It’s time for all of us to act to improve our health and strenghten our immune system.
The venerable Centenarian-members of Living Legends. from life’s experiences in historical context, say to all of us, especially our youths, simply:
Develop a Culture of Health. EAT BETTER and EXERCISE MORE so that we can all TAKE CONTROL OF OUR HEALTH and be better together.
Plant, Eat and Trade – PET action! -fresh Fruits and Vegetables.
Grow Herbs in the garden and use them.
“You have only one mind and one body. Take care of them now, especially if you’re young, for the rest of your life.
“The Lord hath created medicines out of the earth, and he that is wise will not abhor them.”
“You are what you eat.”
“Health is Wealth. Wealth is not Health.”
“Save our Youths, Save our Humanity, Save our Environment, Save our Soil!”
Blessings!
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