Phillips

The racing fraternity and the upper echelon of the People's National Party (PNP) came out in their numbers to pay their last respects to the late owner Louis 'Tony' Phillips at a thanksgiving service for his life at the Church of the Transfiguration, Meadowbrook Main, last Saturday morning.

Phillips, a former JRC racing commissioner, past vice-president of the Jamaica Racehorse Owners' Association, Jockey Club member and one-time KSAC councillor, who made an unsuccessful bid for a seat in Parliament during the '70s, died on July 22 after a short illness. He was 67.

Attendees

In attendance were Opposition Leader and former Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, former Minister of National Security Dr Peter Phillips, former Deputy Prime Minister Seymour Mullings, PNP chairman and former Transport Minister Robert Pickersgill.

In attendance, too, were ex-ministers Horace Dalley, Horace Clarke and O.D. Ramtalie and the PNP's deputy general secretary, Julian Robinson.

Also among the mourners were William Chin-See, a former chairman of Caymanas Track Limited; former Deputy Chairman Neville Rhone, Jockey Club president Hugh Levy Jr, the JRC Chief Operations Steward Lloyd Coburn along with Laurence Heffes, president of the Owners' Association and Derrick White, representing the Jamaica Racing Commission.

White read the tribute on behalf of the JRC, while Pickersgill did likewise for the PNP.

Packed church

The near two-hour service, which saw a packed church, was conducted by Rev Father Franklyn Jackson, assisted by Rev Dr Alton Tulloch, Rev Everton Cunningham, Rev Father Charles Manderson and Rev Jean Fairweather Wilson, and organist Audrey Wright.

High point of the service was a moving rendition of Jerusalem by soloist Douglas Barnes.

Pallbearers were the sons of the deceased - Raymond, Stephen and Brian Phillips - accompanied by Neville Rhone, Horace Dalley, Derrick White and former Member of Parliament Stafford Haughton.

Phillips' body was cremated.