BRONX, N.Y. – Just days from now, the St. Kitts and Nevis diaspora community will gather for one of its most anticipated annual events, as the Society of People from Sandy Point (SPBS) hosts its 2026 Dr. Stewart O. Williams Annual Awards Gala on Saturday, September 5. Taking place at the iconic Maestro’s Catering Hall in the Bronx, this year’s gala centers on the powerful theme “Rooted in Service, Grounded in Giving Back” – a mission that aligns perfectly with the legacy of the event’s namesake, SPBS’s late founder and president Dr. Stewart Williams.
The event will operate under the distinguished patronage of two respected community leaders: Dr. Irvin Sweeney and Mrs. Vernice “Debbie” Williams, widow of Dr. Stewart Williams. Renowned family physician and healthcare executive Dr. Maurice Duggins will deliver the evening’s keynote address, drawing from his own decades-long journey of service to share insights with attendees.
For Dr. Sweeney, the role of gala patron is a fitting recognition of a lifetime spent lifting up communities across St. Kitts and Nevis and the United States. Born and raised in the De Village community of St. Kitts, Sweeney overcame profound hardship early in life – losing his mother at age 12 and facing significant financial barriers – to build a legacy of impact across education, public service, sports, and culture. A trailblazer in youth development, he has held senior roles including National Youth Skills Director, Special Assistant to St. Kitts and Nevis’ Minister of Education and Youth Affairs, and a diplomatic posting at St. Kitts and Nevis’ Embassy in Washington, D.C., where he served as Minister Counselor and Chargé d’Affaires between 1994 and 1995, with accreditation to the U.S., World Bank, United Nations, and Organization of American States. Today, he serves as Associate Dean of Campus Operations and Retention at Camden County College in New Jersey.
His contributions extend far beyond public service and education. A talented athlete, Sweeney represented St. Kitts in national football, claimed five consecutive national table tennis championships, captained the Santos Football Club, and held executive roles on both the St. Kitts Cricket Association and St. Kitts Table Tennis Association. In the cultural sphere, he made indelible marks on calypso: he won the St. Kitts Calypso Monarch title at just 18 years old in 1970, reclaimed the crown in 1975, placed in the top three of 12 out of 14 consecutive national finals, and worked to expand opportunities for young artists by founding the Basseterre Junior High School Calypso Competition and the country’s first National Youth Calypso Competition.
Headlining the evening’s program as keynote speaker is Dr. Maurice L. Duggins, another St. Kitts-born leader who has built a distinguished career in healthcare and medical education. Raised in Sandy Point, Duggins relocated with his family to the U.S. Virgin Islands in 1978, before completing his undergraduate education at Sterling College in Kansas and earning his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in 1993. After finishing his family medicine residency in Wichita, he dedicated his career to serving underserved populations, taking on a role as Medical Director of a community safety-net clinic before joining the Ascension Via Christi Health Family Medicine Residency Program as faculty in 2002.
For more than 20 years, Duggins has trained the next generation of physicians as a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, with research focusing on pressing public health challenges including childhood obesity, chronic disease management, and systemic health disparities. He has held a series of senior leadership roles across the region’s healthcare sector, including President of the Via Christi Medical Staff in 2009 and 2010, President of the Medical Society of Sedgwick County starting in 2023, and currently serves as Chief Medical Officer of Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph, where he leads initiatives to improve patient care, physician engagement, and clinical quality. In his keynote, he will trace his journey from his childhood in Sandy Point to his current role as a top healthcare leader, highlighting the values of perseverance, service, and community that have shaped his career.
Founded to honor the legacy of the Sandy Point community, SPBS’s core mission centers on strengthening connections across the global St. Kitts and Nevis diaspora, nurturing service-driven leadership, expanding access to education, celebrating cultural heritage, and advancing community development. Through the annual Dr. Stewart O. Williams Awards Gala, the organization recognizes outstanding contributions from community members, elevates emerging talent, and celebrates the enduring spirit of giving back that Dr. Williams championed throughout his lifetime. This year’s event continues that tradition, bringing together community members to celebrate decades of collective impact and inspire the next generation of leaders.