By Robert Andre Emmanuel
Remembered for his honesty and integrity in the civil service and as a close friend by those who knew him well, the late Chairman of the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission (ABEC) John Jarvis was laid to rest yesterday.
Jarvis, 71, was celebrated by his family, friends, and well-wishers across civil society with an official funeral at the Spring Gardens Moravian Church.
Members of the country’s police force, JCI Antigua, Caribbean Alliance Insurance, Panache Steel Orchestra, Salvation Army, Red Cross, and various government departments across a wide range of ministries came out to celebrate the life of a person who gave his life to serving others.
Colin Jarvis delivered the eulogy, highlighting his brother’s commitment to public service, recalling his brother’s words in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma which devastated Barbuda in 2017.
“When I got through the following day, his words to me were ‘little brother, God spared us last night…now we have to go take care of his flock’. I asked him how he was going to get to Barbuda and, in typical John fashion, he said, ‘no problem, man, the first boat, the first plane, even a bird that is flying over to Barbuda, I will be on that’,” Colin Jarvis said.
He added, “John’s legacy is one of service, one of caring and one of compassion. He was brutally honest and uncompromising in his devotion to what was right and just, and he was the ultimate patriot.
“If we were to take away a lesson from his life, the only way that I could sum it up would be in a favourite hymn of mine: ‘If I can help somebody as I pass along, if I could cheer somebody with a word or song and if I can show somebody that he’s travelling wrong, then my living will not be in vain’.”
Childhood friend of John Jarvis, Harold Lovell also took the moment to remember the life of his close friend.
“When I visited him in the hospital in early January, little did I know that within days he would transition to be with the ancestors. He gave me the same smile that flashed in the backyard; it was a smile that told the story of friendship, a smile that told the story of brotherhood, a smile that will forever leave an imprint on my soul,” Lovell said during the service.
As a civil servant, Jarvis served in numerous positions to include Community Development Worker, Price Control Officer within the Prices and Consumer Affairs Division, Registrar of Co-operatives in the Ministry of Labour, and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health.
Outside of the government service, he served as past President of JCI Antigua, Vice President of the Antigua and Barbuda Red Cross Society, Chairman of Carnival, and Secretary of Caricom Regulators, among others.
As a devoted member of the Spring Gardens Moravian Church, he was fondly remembered by its clergy and pastors.
Former Supervisor of Elections, Dame Lorna Simon, penned a tribute to Jarvis, saying, “John’s passing has left a void, not only nationally and regionally, but as this country’s lead representative on the Electoral Bodies of Central America and the Caribbean, of which ABEC is a member.
“His presence will be sorely missed by the staff of the Commission. Antigua and Barbuda and indeed the Caribbean has lost an advocate for democracy,” she added.
Governor General Sir Rodney Williams wrote that “as a physician and long-time family doctor to the Jarvis family, I had the privilege of witnessing Mr Jarvis’ unwavering commitment to the well-being of his community.
“His contribution to various spheres of society, from his early days as a social worker to his pivotal role in the electoral process, are a testament to his exceptional character and tireless dedication,” Sir Rodney shared.