The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

FAMILY and loved ones gathered at the opening of the Winston “Gus” Cooper Manor yesterday, remembering the man best known as a visionary leader of the Valley Boys Junkanoo group.

Brian Adderley, the groups chairman, said they were grateful the Junkanoo icon was being honoured.

“As a member of the Valley Boys and as the chairman of the Valley Boys, Gus Cooper was a mentor to all of us. He was a man that had a high standards and discipline in every thing that he did,” he told reporters.

“So we’re grateful Arawak Homes is honouring him in this regard and also by paying respect to his contribution and to his family for the sacrifices and contribution he made to The Bahamas, not just as someone who has been involved in culture in Junkanoo but also for his dedication of service to the country first as a teacher and then as a public servant working as the first Bahamian director of sports in the Ministry of Youth and Sports.”

His Mr Cooper’s wife, Cassandra, he would have been “elated” and “happy”.

“He did a lot of work for The Bahamas for us so I’m look forward to them doing something for him. Even though he’s gone, but the children, the grandchildren, the great-grandchildren will remember but he’s gone but I would love to see more done for him. Like other nations, Trinidad and all paid to do what he’s been doing for free for years. Using his own money - he did that for many years. When he died, we’re married for 49 years. So I would appreciate if they did something else for him.”

While giving remarks at the event, former Prime Minister Perry Christie noted the work Mr Cooper did.

“The honour that you give him today must be the administer a step in the direction of elevating people who have given much to the strengthening the Greek call it the ethos of our country, but that characteristic spirit that binds us together as Bahamians. Gus Cooper contributed to that as Vola Francis is contributing in an extraordinary way that we truly cannot yet fathom simply because in every other country that I know of that has the kind of major cultural gatherings like Junkanoo the men who lead this groups earn a fortune from their leadership,” he said.

“Gus and those used to go (to) Trinidad, to Brazil, to look at what was happening there and when they went they knew that the people who lead those organizations were corporations. That they were able to earn a magnificent living from the full flowering of their talent and their effort. The nobility of Gus Cooper’s struggle, that’s what I call it, was to lead a group that with each changing generation questioned leadership… there were times when I wondered why he would want to continue doing it. There were times I would be invited to chair a committee to review the affairs of the group and always the certain conclusion was there was really no issue, no real issue with the leadership, the leader of the group.”