ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada – Anthony Conrad George, the designer of the Grenada National Flag died in the United Kingdom on Wednesday, the same day the island celebrated its 50thanniversary of political independence from Britain, attorney Jacqueline McKenzie has said.
Anthony Conrad George (Facebook photo)“On the day that Grenadians celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence, with the country adorned by thousands of flags of red, green and gold, of the nutmeg, and of the stars representing the seven parishes, its creator, Anthony George, passed on to the ancestors,” she said, as she paid tribute to the 86-year-old.
Opposition Leader, Dr. Keith Mitchell in a statement paying tribute to George, said “we mourn the loss of the visionary behind our National Flag, a true patriot whose legacy is eternally woven into Grenada’s identity.
“His contributions transcend art, embodying our unity and diversity. Our deepest condolences go out to his loved ones,” said Mitchell.
George, who lived in the United Kingdom and Grenada, was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in 2007 and according to his 2013 memoir “Beyond Belief” he had envisioned for the national flag an aesthetic that would stand the test of time, and placed the star at the centre to symbolise the sovereignty of the nation’s new beginning and beyond, while the other stars reference mariners who relied on them for navigation.
Regarding the components of the national flag, George wrote that the “red border represents love, fervour, courage, aspiration and a burning desire to be free.
“The colour gold, in which yellow is sometimes substituted in (flag reproductions), represents the warmth of our character and friendliness ‘for which we’re renowned;’ our wisdom and fortitude, and of course, the beautiful sunshine we enjoyed all year round in Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique. The colour green represents the richness of our soil, the fertility of our land, and the lush vegetation of our island’s agriculture.”
George, the second of five children, has appeared on stamps (2009), and received numerous awards including the Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012, for Community Services and Nation Building. His moment of great joy was when A C George Road in Soubise, St Andrew, was named in his honour in 2012.
“When someone dies, we often say their legacy will live on. George’s truly will if yesterday’s magical celebrations of Grenada 50, and the central role played by his design, is anything to go by,” McKenzie wrote.
