SCHOOLBOY HONOURED POSTHUMOUSLY FOR BRAVERY
PT ANTONIO, Portland; Oct. 22, 2025
Portlanders braved the showers for the Heroes Day Parade and tributes at the Port Antonio Square as they honoured six of their own.
The Port Antonio Marching Band led the uniformed groups.
Mayor of Port Antonio, Councillor Paul Thompson, welcomed all gathered as Jen-Marie Pryce JP represented Custos Thaxter and read the Governor General’s message. Councillor Orton Manahan read the Prime Minister’s, and newly minted Eastern Portland Member of Parliament, Isat Buchanan, read the leader of the opposition’s message.
Wreaths were laid at the photographs of the National Heroes.
From left Chase Roberts (Education), Jacqueline Brown-Gordon (Volunteerism), Dr. Maureen Campbell (Cultural Development), Antwaine Burgess-Richards (Gallantry) and Everard Owen (Journalism).Â
Six Portlanders were honoured for their services to the Portland community, of which two were for gallantry.
Antwaine Burgess-Richards, a student at Titchfield High School, was awarded for saving two of his schoolmates on Sunday, September 21, 2025, at Bikini Beach, Port Antonio. One student, Vijay Popley, died in an effort to assist and was posthumously honoured. His father, Ian, received the award.
(Eastern Portland Member of Parliament Isat Buchanan, left, is about to place a medal around Everard Owen’s neck, in recognizing his service to journalism)
Other awardees are Jacqueline Brown-Gordon for Volunteerism; Chase Roberts, educator who trained the  Titchfield High School Schools Challenge Quiz team to victory; Dr. Maureen Campbell for cultural development and Everard Owen, for Journalism, fair, fearless and accurate.
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WATCH AS THE AWARD FOR GALLANTRY, MADE POSTHUMOUSLY TO VIJAAY POPLEY IS RECEIVED BY HIS FATHER.
