Devon Evans, Gleaner Writer
ALEXANDRIA, St. Ann:
The people of St. Ann, especially residents of the Alexandria division, are now in mourning as a result of the passing of Derrick Frater, former mayor and councillor for the division.
Mr. Frater, a long-serving parish councillor, died on Saturday night after a prolonged illness. He was first elected as a councillor for the Alexandria division in south west St. Ann on March 24, 1977 and served in that capacity up to the time of his death.
In April 1981, Mr. Frater, who was a member of the victorious Jamaica Labour Party's team of councillors, was elected Mayor of St. Ann's Bay. He held that post for five years before demitting office in August 1986.
He, however, remained a very active member of the St. Ann Parish Council, serving on several select committees of the council until late last year when he was forced to limit his activities in the council due to illness.
LEAVE OF DUTY
Since December last year, Councillor Frater has been on extended leave of duty during which time he was hospitalised on a number of occasions.
Responding to news of Mr. Frater's passing, Mayor of St. Ann's Bay Delroy Giscombe said he will be "dearly missed by both JLP and PNP members of the council".
Mayor Giscombe said Mr. Frater was a very thoughtful person who took a keen interest in the affairs of the council and that his years of experience made him an excellent source of guidance to other councillors.
Secretary/manager of the St. Ann Parish Council, Dorothy Delgado, reminisced that the late Mr. Frater "was a very dignified person."
"He was a very quiet and balanced councillor and not one who would give in easily to political divisiveness," she said. Mrs. Delgado also said the former mayor's experiences of living in a First-World country (England) enabled him to deal with issues in a professional and caring manner.
The secretary/manager noted that it was only recently that the council had written to the National Awards Committee asking that Mr. Frater be given a national honour. She expressed deep regrets to his family on behalf of the council.
