Just a handful of weeks after marking her extraordinary 108th birthday, Dame Avisene Carrington, a trailblazing Barbadian educator whose decades of dedication shaped thousands of young lives across the island nation, has passed away, triggering a nationwide wave of heartfelt tributes spearheaded by Prime Minister Mia Mottley. The official statement from the Prime Minister’s office was released on a Saturday, as Barbados put final preparations in place for its annual Independence Lighting Ceremony, the traditional kickoff to a month of national festivities commemorating two major milestones: the 60th anniversary of the country’s independence, and the fifth year since it transitioned to a parliamentary republic.
“Barbados is in mourning today, as we lay to rest one of the brightest, most enduring lights this nation has ever known,” Mottley shared in her official address. “Our country has lost a towering giant of public service, and I personally have lost a lifelong steady anchor who helped steer my path long before I took public office.” Mottley went on to share a deeply personal anecdote about Dame Avisene, who served as her principal at Merrivale Primary School, noting that the educator was one of the most influential figures outside her immediate family who helped form her core values. “No matter how much my life changed as the years went by, she was always simply Mrs Carrington to me, and that is the beloved figure I am saying farewell to today.” The Prime Minister recalled that just weeks prior, at Dame Avisene’s 108th birthday celebration, she had marvelled at the centenarian’s razor-sharp memory and surprising, unimpaired mobility, a source of joy for everyone who knew her.
Mottley added that for many Barbadians, there had been consistent comfort in knowing Dame Avisene was still present in the community, with her signature warm smile and unwaveringly curious, engaged interest in the world around her. Even with the incredible gift of 108 full, rich years of life, the Prime Minister noted that every citizen would have happily welcomed many more months and years in her company.
Looking back on Dame Avisene’s decades of impact in the education sector, Mottley emphasized that multiple successive generations of Barbadian schoolchildren had thrived thanks to her unshakable belief that every single student held untapped potential, and her consistent willingness to carve out extra time to support the most vulnerable learners who needed extra guidance. “Mrs Carrington never, ever wrote a child off,” Mottley said. “Her former colleagues still talk about her rushing through her lunch break every single day, just so she could squeeze in extra one-on-one tutoring for a pupil who was falling behind. That level of patience, that choice to put a child’s needs before your own comfort, is rooted in profound, selfless love.”
Mottley also highlighted Dame Avisene’s legendary humility, pointing out that her official biography, penned by her daughter-in-law Hazel Lindo-Carrington, bears the quiet, unassuming title “Simply Teacher”. Even after a lifetime of landmark public service and a long list of professional accolades that earned her a damehood for national service, Dame Avisene insisted she wanted to be remembered first and foremost for that simple, core identity as an educator. On behalf of the entire Barbadian government and all of the island’s residents, Mottley extended formal condolences to Dame Avisene’s immediate family members Ronnie, Shelley, Ian, Hazel, and every member of the wider Carrington household. “You shared someone so precious with generations of Barbadian families, and while the nation’s collective gratitude can never erase the sharp pain of your loss, I hope it brings you a small measure of comfort to know just how deeply loved and admired she was by every corner of this country.”
Mottley closed her tribute by noting that Dame Avisene’s long, purpose-driven life perfectly embodies the core national values Barbados is celebrating throughout this year’s independence anniversary events. “She built this nation not through concrete or policy papers, but through the tens of thousands of young people she nurtured and encouraged to reach their full potential. She understood better than anyone what a small spark of unwavering belief can do to change the trajectory of a child’s life. Every time we choose to offer that same vote of confidence to someone who needs it, we are honouring her legacy. The light she lit for this nation will never fade, it lives on in every life she transformed, and in every act of kindness and support we extend to one another moving forward.”