EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was first published in the The Sun newspaper and is being republished here with permission.
Frederick Osborne Symes, also known as Ossie and affectionately as Sam Bass, will be laid to rest at the Roseau Catholic cemetery on Monday March 25th, 2013 following a Eucharistic celebration at the St. Gerald’s Hall Cathedral Chapel.
The 75-year-old Ossie Symes died of heart failure, according to one of his brothers, at the Princess Margaret Hospital during the evening of Tuesday March 12 after ailing for some time.
Timothy ‘Symes Zee’ Symes told The Sun that Ossie was born on August 31, 1937 to parents Carmen (housewife) and Frederick Symes (former police officer) of Goodwill. That union produced Rosie (deceased), Ossie, Frederick ‘Flexie’ Timothy, Gloria, Ronald, Cheryl, a former Miss Dominica, Derrick, Norman.
Ossie attended the Roseau Boys’ School and then the Dominica Grammar School. After completing his Cambridge Examinations he began his working career at the DGS as a teacher. His working experience took him to the Audit Department from where he went over to England to study Public Administration. He excelled at his studies and was re-assigned to the Treasury Department and eventually became Accountant General.
He returned to Audit as Director. He moved on to become Chief Personnel Officer from where he would have the opportunity to act as Cabinet Secretary on occasion. He retired from the public service in 1993. Two years later he would be approached by the United Workers Party to be Speaker of the Dominica House of Assembly (1995- 2000).
Ossie Symes was one of the people who changed the Civil Service Association (CSA), the union representing public officers. It was about 1960 that a group of middle civil servants including Alick Lazare, Eric Watty, Clive Butler, Gorman Robin, Tony Giraud (the latter two deceased), Symes and others got together to reorganise and register CSA. He spent some 10 or more years in the CSA when all members worked voluntarily.
By 1966, the CSA had 166 members with each member contributing $1 a month. And they had a premises rented for $120 a month. So the executive members would leave government work at the end of the day, head for their office on Bath Road to conduct the affairs of the CSA. He would also be one of those put under house arrest when Patrick John was premier of Dominica back in the 1970’s.
By then he had married Nurse Stella Green in 1970. The couple had three children: Dawn, Brian and Brent. Symes also had another son, Geoffrey. Ossie Symes is survived by two grandchildren.
He made a great contribution to his country’s development. May his family be comforted during this time
May his soul rest in peace. The family should hold strong in time of grieve.
Rest in peace Mr Sysmes may your family find comfort knowing that you lived a good life and the love and respect that you gave to all
he was not put under house arrest by Patrick John. because that was 1973. Patrick became prime minister in 1974. it was under Leblanc that he was put under house arrest.
it is high tiome that the media in dominica start getting the facts of the seventies correct.
Deepest sympathy to the Symes family, particularly Stella; sister symes as she was so well known. My thoughts and prayers are with you all at this sad moment.May your hearts be filled with peace and joy knowing that Ossie is in a better place,that he so well deserves.
FIND COURAGE, DAWN, BRIAN AND BRENT FOR GOD IS LOVE.
It was not Patrick John who was Premier when Ossie Symes was put under house arrest during the Civil Service strike in 1973, it was Edward Oliver Le Blanc. Symes, Christopher Maximea and Charles Savarin were put under house arrest during the State of Emergency that his government declared.You played your part Ossie, with principle and patriotism every step of the way.
RIP
I know the entire family. All nice people. In those days we resided on the same street in Goodwill.
and fell asleep carnival Tuesday. When he awoke he obviously did not know what day it was and still had carnival on his mind.
Ossie had a sense of humor as well. When those guys got together aside from discussing serious matters and also about politics, they could be jovial. Jokes would ensue.
One year when I visited Dominica at carnival time, Ossie gave a few of us a joke about a friend which I have not forgotten. It is not a bad joke which occurred some years ago. Nevertheless, I can repeat it now because the friend passed on a few years ago.
Ossie told us this friend who loved carnival woke up on Ash Wednesday morning and said, “Where is the band! Where is the band!” Well, we had a good laugh about that and the manner in which Ossie stated it.
I have not forgotten this one. Whenever I remember it, I still laugh and always will as long as my life continues.
The friend had such a rollicking time of partying in the evenings leading up to carnival, he probably was tired, had too much to drink
I never told the friend about it because I did not want him to feel embarrassed and state that Ossie told jokes on him. Who knows? If I had told him about it, he probably would have laughed anyway. This friend was a friendly person. He had a good sense of humor. He loved jokes and also loved laughing. As jokes spread among friends, from time to time, I am certain that he was reminded of it and they all enjoyed a hearty laugh.
In talking to a relative of Stella in DA I was informed that the funeral would be on Monday. I especially remembered them yesterday. It was no easy time for them, not easy losing a loved one and attending the funeral as they will continue to mourn his loss. God is love. He is consoling and strengthening them.
Ossie you will be missed by especially your dear wife Stella, your children, brothers, sisters, in-laws, friends and all others who knew you.
May your soul rest in God’s love and peace. Gone from this earth but not forgotten.
May Your soul rest in eternal peace our dear brother. It is your struggle and other unselfish, bold, committed and unaffraid comrades who blaized the trail and lifted the mark for others to aspire. You have passed on but will live on in our hearts and memories….
May your soul and that of the faithful departed, through the mercy of the Almighty God, Rest in Peace….
He was also PS min of com and works . Was a good leader. May his soul rest in peace.
Yes May his soul rest in peace. He is gone to meet his maker, You are still here. do hope that thumbs down was by accident.
GOD GIVETH AND TAKETH MAY YOUR SOUL REST IN PEACE.
YOU WAS A GOOD MAN
As a former public officer who worked with him, I will say that he was a no-nonsense person, very hardworking and conscientious. Called a spade a spade. Farewell; may he rest in eternal peace.