OTTAWA, Canada, July 19, 2023 – Bahamas High Commissioner to Ottawa V. Alfred Gray today signed the book of condolences to the late Sir S.W. Tapley Seaton at THE St. Kitts and Nevis High Commission in Ottawa. Sir Tapley Seaton, who died on June 29, was the fourth Governor-General of Saint Kitts and Nevis from 2015 to 2023.
In a press release at the time of his death, the government of St. Kitts and Nevis said his “legacy is deeply etched into the rich history of our beloved twin-island Federation, as one of our nation’s true statesmen and patriots.”
“He worked relentlessly for justice, preserving the foundations of the judicial system,” the release added. “He was a philanthropist and a great leader who made an indelible contribution to the Federation and the people of Saint Kitts and Nevis.He served as a noted Attorney for many years, as a Crown Counsel in the Attorney General’s Chambers and Acting High Court Registrar (1975-1980), and as the St. Kitts-Nevis Attorney General (1980-1995).”
The release noted that Sir Tapley was “appointed as one of Her Majesty’s Counsels (Queen’s Counsel) in 1988, and a Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (GCMG) on 9th November 2015. He also had the distinction of being named Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in 1985.”
The release added, “Sir Tapley Seaton is credited as being one of the Architects of the Constitution of Saint Christopher and Nevis. His achievements consist of a keen acumen for legislative drafting including the Income Tax Amendments for St. Lucia; the 2001 Securities Act; Aliens’ Landholding Regulation Acts in nine (9) ECCU member territories; the National Trust Bill for St. Kitts and Nevis, and the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College Bill, and the drafting of the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Bill, which eventually became the Small Business Development Act (Number 24) of 2009.”
