Flashback

It would appear that while most STAR readers easily recognized two of the three gentlemen featured in our last Flashback picture, all were stumped by the man in the middle. Hint: When he passed away several years ago, his friend and one-time party leader said he had “died with his boots on.”

Need another hint? In early December 1979, immediately following SLTV’s regular evening news broadcast, the government’s newly installed public relations officer, a former Radio Caribbean disc jockey, introduced the 33-year-old Minister of State, Mikey Pilgrim, at the start of what had been advertised as “a program of great national importance.”

For the next fifteen minutes Pilgrim effortlessly fielded barren questions from the Crusader, the Voice and RSL reporters. Then the STAR representative, pictured left, touched on the most widely discussed issue of the day: “Since you are attached to the prime minister’s office, and bearing in mind you’re a member of the government’s so-called Odlum faction, what can you say about Prime Minister Louisy’s recently reported post-election deal with his foreign affairs minister?”

Ah, yes, now you remember when the picture was taken. But still you are at a loss as to the identity of the bearded man in the middle. Well, suffer no more. His name was Victor Fadelin. For full details of the cited historic episode, check Chapter 8 of my book Foolish Virgins.

And now for our next memory jogger. Can you identify the pictured individuals? Can you recall when the picture was taken? What more can you tell us about it?