Prijzen

Willemstad – Bij de viering van het 80 jarig bestaan van het Algemeen Pensioenfonds Curaçao (APC) kreeg het Winthrop Curiel Fonds een cheque van NAf. 25.000,00, te gebruiken voor haar doelstelling, namelijk talentvolle jongeren financieel steunen op het gebied van muzikale educatie. Het Winthrop Curiel Fonds op naam valt onder beheer van het Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Caribisch Gebied.

The Bottom –Every two years the Board of the Prins Bernhard Culture Fund Caribbean Region (PBCCG) awards a prize on each of the six Dutch Caribbean Islands in recognition of outstanding efforts in the fields of art, culture and nature.  This year we chose to award William ‘Will’ Stanley Johnson with the 2017 PBCCG Prize on Saba.

On November 7, 2017, Michèle Russel-Capriles, the chairman of the PBCCG traveled to Saba, accompanied by Thijs Tromp, the board secretary of the Prins Bernhard Culture Fund in Holland, to bestow the honor on Will Johnson for his dedication to documenting and preserving the Saban way of life.

We are especially impressed by the massive archive of photographs, audio recordings and documents that Will Johnson has collected throughout his life. This archive, and the many collections it contains, is precious as it tells the story of Saba’s past, its people, its development and their traditions. But Will has not left it at that. A prolific writer, Will has published a number of books about specific historical aspects and continues to write a regular newspaper column “Under the Seagrape Tree” about the history and culture of the three Windward Islands, with special emphasis on Saba.

It is this dedication to preserving and imparting knowledge about the unique and great history of Saba and its neighboring islands that has earned Will Johnson the 2017 PBCCG prize. The prize was awarded in the presence of his family, close friends, representatives of organizations we support in Saba, as well as the Commissioner for Culture, Mr. Roland Wilson, and the Governor of Saba, Mr. Jonathan Johnson, who also represents our board in Saba.

It is the sincere hope of the board of the PBCCG that this prize will also inspire young people to contribute to the collective memory of our islands.

Oranjestad –Every two years the Board of the Prins Bernhard Culture Fund Caribbean Region (PBCCG) awards a prize on each of the six Dutch Caribbean Islands in recognition of outstanding efforts in the fields of art, culture and nature. This year we chose to award Marcella Gibbs-Marsdin with the 2017 PBCCG Prize on Statia after consideration of several submittals from the community.

On November 8, 2017, Michèle Russel-Capriles, the chairman of the PBCCG traveled to Statia, accompanied by Thijs Tromp, the board secretary of the Prins Bernhard Culture Fund in Holland, to bestow the honor on Marcella Gibbs-Marsdin for her dedication to keeping cultural traditions alive in Statia.

Throughout her working years, Marcella always went beyond the call of duty to ensure that typical Statia traditions such as steel pan, caroling, and July Tree Branches remained alive and vibrant. She not only organizes various events yearly, she actively participates and engages the community to uphold these tradition, norms and values.

It is this dedication to preserving traditions and encouraging the community to do the same that has earned Marcella Gibbs-Marsdin the 2017 PBCCG prize. The prize was awarded in the presence of her family, close friends, PBCCG board member Jessica Berkel, representatives of organizations we support in Statia, as well the Acting Governor of Statia, Mr. Julian Woodley and both Commissioners Derrick Simmons and Charles Woodley.

The board of the PBCCG sees in Marcella Gibbs-Marsdin a role model for the young people of Statia. She is the embodiment of energy, tradition and the spirit of giving.