Bonti Liverpool has now been in the service of the Dominica Scout movement for fifty years. The past Chief Scout Commissioner who in the words of one time National Scout Council President, Anthony Commodore “in 2007, single-handedly rejuvenated the national scout movement from the doldrums it was in,” resigned from the top position in 2012, but is still actively scouting.
Bonti was invested into the then 8th Dominica Scout Troop in August of 1967. He remembers his first Scoutmaster as Roy E. Tonge, and the investiture ceremony being led by Scout leader, Arthur “Andy” Andrew at the Roman Catholic Church in Grand Bay. He became Patrol Leader of Bull Patrol, taking over from the legendary Timothy “Bull” Noel.
Bonti Liverpool is one of those scouts who was trained by Bernard B. Williams and Eardley Rodgers James. (He rose to become William’s deputy, when Williams was appointed leader of the Dominican contingent to the 9th Caribbean Jamboree in 1987.) He attended his first General Information Course and Basic Practical Course under the tough-as-nails National Leader Trainer B.B. Williams at Scout Headquarters in High Street in 1969 and his first Patrol Leader Training Camp at Zion Hill in Marigot under Chief Commissioner Eardley James that same year.
He attended his first jamboree held at Oxnards, St. James, Barbados in 1972 as a Junior Scout Leader in the seventy-three strong contingent that represented Dominica scouting at that event. Eardley James led that contingent with D. V. Fontaine as his deputy.
He did his first Advanced Practical Course towards his Wood Badge in 1977 under Travelling UK Commissioner George Witchell at Londonderry, Dominica, and a second at Balata in St. Lucia under Brian Chick in 1981.
Liverpool was the Group Scoutmaster of the 8th Dominica for a number of years before he was appointed as Assistant District Commissioner and then as District Commissioner, South.
In 1988, a turn of events thrust him into leadership at the national level when he was selected to replace B.B. Williams as Camp Chief of the 5th Caribbean Cuboree. The force of will and hard driving leadership that Liverpool brought to the Cuboree effort turned an embattled situation into a highly successful event.
He served with distinction on two extended occasions as Honorary Secretary of the Association and created the position of Executive Commissioner to bridge the gap between policy conceptualization and policy implementation.
Liverpool attended his first Chief Commissioner’s conference as aide-de-camp to then Chief Commissioner Hubert N. Joseph in Trinidad in 1989. He then attended the Chief Commissioner’s conference at the Ponsietta Hotel in Goodwill, Dominica alongside the then Chief Commissioner Edward C. Henderson.
In 1994 he served as a Sub-camp Chief at the 10th Caribbean Jamboree at Compton Point and as Camp Chief of the OECS Invitational Camp at Londonderry that same year.
In 2003, with the Dominican Scout Movement a thousand strong, then Executive Commissioner Liverpool took a four year sabbatical to rid himself of a drug and alcohol problem. He came back in July of 2007 to a decimated movement that could only muster two troops with less than a hundred boys. He immediately set about reviving dying troops and establishing new ones.
That same July he was appointed Deputy Chief Commissioner, and in a whirlwind of activities, and ably supported by the then National Scout Council President Mr. Anthony Commodore, Liverpool spearheaded the formation and rejuvenation of some twelve scout troops around the island.
In 2008, while Liverpool was still Deputy Chief Scout Commissioner, National Scout Council President, Anthony Commodore personally financed his attending the Chief Commissioners’ Conference in Aruba. It was at this conference that Liverpool presented the case of the Dominica Scout Movement’s need of assistance to rebuild and sustain itself, and there the beginnings of the Messengers of Peace programme appeared.
In 2010, then Chief Scout, President N.J.O. Liverpool appointed Liverpool as Chief Scout Commissioner. Liverpool attended the Caribbean Chief Commissioners’ conference in Trinidad in 2011 and secured Dominica’s hosting the 1917 Caribbean Jamboree. 2013 saw him attending the Chief Commissioners’ Conference in Suriname and was in Panama in 2014 successfully defending Dominica’s bid to host the 2017 Caribbean Jamboree.
In the same 2014, Liverpool led the teams that organized the groundwork for two regional scout training courses held in Dominica: Adult Leadership Training Level 1 at Rosalie and the Advanced Practical Course at Grand Bay. As recently as April of 2016, he attended a Training the Trainers Course in Arima, Trinidad.
Liverpool’s fifty-year involvement in Dominica scouting, has been one of active duty. His contribution has been enormous. To parents and boys alike he is affectionately known as “Chief.” He has served in many key positions in the Association over the years and his flashing smile and sometimes effervescent personality belie the steely determination and strength of will that runs through the veteran scouter.
By any standards, Liverpool has served the Dominica scout movement well, and will go down as one of the most transformative and visionary of Chief Scout Commissioners. He is the last of the old breed in the line of Eardley James, Karl Hector and B.B. Williams. Of all scouts, Liverpool lived the scout Promise, Law and Motto that he pledged to as a boy; that held him together as a man; instilled hope in him when he was a vagrant, and gave him an ideal to strive towards when he was driven down in deep depression. Of all scouts in Dominica scouting today, Liverpool is the last of the old breed.
Edward C. Henderson is past Chief Scout Commissioner.
Bonti you are a beacon of hope for a distracted nation. God bless you always for your service. The late Boy Scout leader Rawle would have been proud of you. Long may you live Brother.
Thanks for your contribution sir
A Grand Bay icon.
I am so glad that scouting is still active in Dominica. Thanks to you Mr.Bonti Liverpool and people like the late Chief Commissioner Eardley James of Marigot and many others for the great work you all have done for all these years.
A really accomplished fifty years. And who would have thought that of him. He was my Grand Bay Boys School and my SMA schoolmate. I never saw him study one day school or in night study, but he was always right up there. Very bright fella. He was famous for taking a compass and carving is name on all the desks in the school and getting a detention for all of them. He was a great basketballer too. He was known for his speed on the basketball court. He is captain/coach who brought up the most trophies with Pros Jr, Sixty-sixers and now Thunderers to Grand Bay. He was a fast bowler too. He was a key leader with Pierro and the others in the Grand Bay struggle. And all that time fighting a drug and alcohol problem. And look at what the man is today. Look at what he is doing today. I therefore congratulate on your big 50 years in scouting. Among people who have served our country of Dominica, you have served.
way to go Bonti. Your trials have made you stronger.
As the daughter of the late Bernard “B.B” Williams I say congrats and thanks for all that you have done for scouting over the years. Bonti Liverpool is a very familiar name to me stemming from my childhood days when Dad would always have some Scouting meeting or activity to attend.
Thanks Mr. Henderson for writing such a beautiful piece recognizing the breed of men that cannot be replaced such as Mr. Liverpool and Dad (B.B). B.B is definitely smiling in his scouting heaven. Thank you.
Atta boy Ice…respect due all the time.
B.F. Windy…hmmm… Not many knew that name for him: “Ice.” He was cool under pressure. He was known also as: Batu, Tobin, General, Captain, and his DJ/MC name was:Stepping Razor. But only an insider few knew him as Ice. Hell of a guy to have on your side in anything. So yes, respect due all the time.
My former classmate at SMA.
Bonty is an excellent writer too. I recall the English teacher would always read his essays and compositions for the entire class as something for the rest of us to strive towards.
He would always be seen around the school grounds with that ubiquitous Louis L’Amour Western novel in hand!
Way to go, Bonty!