With the recent location of the Lord Nelson statue to the museum, there is now a need for us to look to the future. Barbados has an illustrious history that boasts of our 96% education achievement along with our prowess in sports, especially cricket. I would like to recommend a replacement who fits the bill BUT to place his statue in “Heroes’ Square“, would first mean that he must be formally recognised as a HERO. In my eyes, that person should be Sir Frank Mortimer Maglinne Worrell.

Sir Frank’s qualities were not only recognised in Barbados and the wider Caribbean which he represented but was international extending to England where a tribute was paid in Westminster Abbey after his death in 1967. I believe he is the only sportsman to have received such an honour.

He retired from test cricket in 1963 after the England tour and joined the University of The West Indies (UWI) staff as warden of Irvine Hall in Jamaica and pioneered the development of cricket at the Mona Campus in conjunction with Professor Gladstone Mills. He also acted as Director of Sport at the St. Augustine Campus in Trinidad. In honour of his achievements at UWI, his body is interned at the Mona Campus.

A memory that will live with cricket lovers was his advice to Wes Hall (now Sir Wes) at the drawn test match against Australia when it is alleged, he told him before the final delivery, “Do not bowl a no-ball or you can’t go back to Barbados“.

I am aware that to place his statue in our National Square would be representative of Barbados ideals in so many areas which would hopefully encourage younger Barbadians. His values of humility, bravery, leadership, teamwork, batsman, seam bowler, statesman and Politician when he was appointed to the Jamaican Senate at the request of Sir Alexander Bustamante makes us proud.

However, to achieve the placement of his statue in Heroes’ Square, he must first be formally recognised as one of our heroes and I hope this letter will stimulate discussion to achieve that objective. They are ample reasons and proof of his achievements listed on the internet which depicts him being lauded internationally. Please back my proposal for this outstanding Barbadian to be accorded hero status.

Please review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joScOh-eO6I&t=754s or https://www.crictracker.com/16-facts-frank-worrell-epitome-class. and/or any of his other sites listed on the World Wide Web.