Denzil Douglas pays tribute to Caleb Azariah Paul Southwell on his 43rd death anniversary

May 18, 2022, marked the 43rd Anniversary of the death of Caleb Azariah Paul Southwell, who was born on July 19th 1913. Sir Caleb was the second Premier and first Chief Minister of St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla. Mr Southwell also worked as a teacher, police officer, and trade unionist.

Denzil Douglas pays tribute to Caleb Azariah Paul Southwell on his 43rd death anniversary
Denzil Douglas pays tribute to Caleb Azariah Paul Southwell on his 43rd death anniversary

BASSETERRE, ST KITTS – May 18, 2022, marked the 43rd Anniversary of the death of Caleb Azariah Paul Southwell, who was born on July 19th 1913. Sir Caleb was the second Premier and first Chief Minister of St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla. Mr Southwell also worked as a teacher, police officer, and trade unionist.

Here is the full statement of Denzil Douglas: 

Southwell was born in Dominica on July 18, 1913 and the name of his parents were Joseph and Amelia Southwell. At 13 years of age, Southwell have also posted on the position on the teacher. He further joined the Leeward Islands Police Force in 1938. He served in Antigua, Montserrat, Federation of St Kitts and Nevis, and Anguilla until he get retired from the force in 1944.

In 1944, Southwell have also worked for the St Kitts Sugar Factory where he worked as a timekeeper and assistant stock clerk. It was done until the end of the sugar factory workers strike in 1948.

Southwell has further joined the St. Kitts-Nevis Trades and Labour Union and St Kitts Workers League (now the St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party) in 1946 and remained vice president of the Union from 1946 until his death.

First elected to the St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla Legislative Council in 1952, Southwell was posted on the post of the Executive Council in 1955. 

He further served as the First Minister of Communications and Works in 1956. Southwell also worked as the first Chief Minister of St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla in 1960. 

He was later posted on the position of the Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance, Trade, Development, Industry and Tourism in various Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw administrations from 1967-1978. 

He further assumed the position of full Premier on the death of Bradshaw on 23 May 1978.

Southwell has lost his due to the heart disease on May 18, 1979, less than one year after becoming Premier, in Castries, St Lucia. 

The death occurred during a meeting of the West Indies Associated States Council of Ministers. Further, the authorities have named The Industrial Park in St. Kitts by his name.