HONORING A RAIZAL LEADER: PASTOR ENRIQUE PUSEY BENT

The Indigenous National Raizal Authority through the Raizal Council, in representation of the Raizal People, and along with various organizations, are rendering honor and respect to honorable leader and servant, Rev. Enrique Pusey Bent, who we shall remember in life of the Archipelago of San Andres islands, as one of the greatest leaders of the Raizal’ cause who sought to respect, promote and preserve the Raizal People and their territory as an autonomous nation in the southwest Caribbean.

Pastor Enrique Pusey, in the field of education, was a teacher by profession, he was principal of the former “Alfonso Lopez School for boys” (today Brooks Hill Bilingual School), Departmental Secretary of Education for the Archipelago, and president of the ASISAP (Labor Union Association of Institutes/Schools of San Andres) – and in his tenure, he led the construction of the Teacher’s House (“Casa del Educador”).

Professor Enrique Pusey allied much with the National Labor Union in Colombia. He was friendly with the Colombian Political Party UNION PATRIOTICA. He firmly believed on taking the struggle of freedom on the street. He led and participated in so many demonstrations by marching and crying out for the rights of those living under oppression and abuses.

Pastor Enrique Pusey was a writer and a historian; he was knowleadgeable on the history of the Archipelago, which he learned from reading many history books but as well from knowledge transmitted from the Raizal elders; and he wrote his opinions like a true critical thinker.

Professor Enrique Pusey demonstrated a lot of his great creativity and engineering skills as he worked as a builder, masonry, and carpentry.

He was also a farmer, and lover of the natural environment. He believed is rescuing the culture of the Raizal People of Archipelago of San Andres and Providence.

Leader Enrique Pusey was very friendly, very cooperative and collaborative. He was very brave, and of strong character - “what he says, he means”: a true radical man with clear purpose.

Leader Enrique Pusey actions toward the defense of the rights of the indigenous Raizal people, like our rights to self-determination, our land and territorial rights, our linguistic and religious minority rights, were always supported on the principles that our Creator taught us through the Bible.

Professor Enrique Pusey was a civic freedom fighter, who believed in the independency of San Andres and Providence islands. He was a leader by nature, who in all his life on this Earth, find himself in the forefront of the social processes on behalf of the Raizal people of the Archipelago, and for other sectors, like he teachers, churches, etc.

Leader Enrique Pusey along with other outstanding leaders (like Juvencio Gallardo Corpus, BillF Francis Manuel, Lilia Brijalba Whittaker, Belarmina Bowie, Roland Pomare and others), they founded the S.O.S Movement (Sons of the Soil) to defend and promote the rights of the Raizal People, especially the right to govern themselves. He also helped in the foundation and leadership of AMEN-SD (the Archipelago Movement for Ethnic Native Self-determination).

Pastor Enrique Pusey served as president of the Raizal Council (Indigenous National Raizal Authority - INRA), replacing pastor Raymond Howard Britton.

Leader Enrique Pusey became an active Christian during the life of S.O.S. Movement, and then a minister and a pastor – pastor of the Lighthouse Baptist Church (at Cove Seaside, San Andres Island).

Leader Enrique Pusey was the next Raizal after Marco Polo Archbold to send a report and request to the United Nations, denouncing Colombia having the Raizal People and their Archipelago as a colony (Non-Self-Governing Territory), and to intervene for the Raizal People to enjoy their right to self-determination.

Due to his interpretation of the answers from the United Nations, as to first exhaust internal/domestic national resources, he insisted on having an internal autonomy with Colombia. In the 1980s, they initiated the construction of the Raizal Statute for autonomy (“Estatuto Raizal”).

The saddest part of life of the Raizal leaders could be to depart from this earthly life without seeing their dreams fulfilled.

He honored his ancestors, seek to restore their dignity, and secure the future for generations to come.

He was a tireless worker, a leader admired and respected by many within the islands and beyond. His life of service was a testament to his genuine and unwavering commitment to his community, devoid of any self-interest. In honor of his work, we invite you, as indigenous Raizal people, to commit to conserving and perpetuating his legacy to achieve our goal of "self-determination".

We give thanks to our Creator for the life of Rev. Enrique Pusey Bent!

ALBERTO GORDON MAY Raizal Council (Raizal Authority)	JAIRO RODRIGUEZ DAVIS Raizal Development Center	CORINE DUFFIS STEELE AMEN-SD
BILL FRANCIS MANUEL S.O.S. Movement		LILIA BRIJALDO WHITTAKER S.O.S. Movement
BELARMINA BOWIE S..O.S. Movement	ROLAND POMARE ESCALONA S.O.S. Movement	ALCIANO WILLIAMS JESSIE S.O.S. Movement
JUNE MARIE MOW ROBINSON Providence Foundation	JOSEFINA HUFFINGTON Veeduria Civica Old Providence	ANGEL BRITTON HOWARD Veeduria Civica Old Providence
EDGAR JAY STEPHENS Fishermen Federation from Old Providence	MARLON HOWARD TREE AND REEFS Foundation	DILIA ROBINSON DAVIS ORFA
EDGARDO MARTINEZ MITCHELL Raizal Diaspora	RALPH NEWBALL SOTELO Raizal Diaspora	CONNIE ARCHBOLD ROBINSON Raizal Diaspora
ELMER EUBANKS ARCHBOLD Raizal Diaspora	GLENN COE Raizal Diaspora	JULIE BUSH GARCIA Raizal Diaspora
Rev. and Mrs RONALD HOOKER Raizal Diaspora - Dallas, U.S.A.
LUIS McNISH SAISOL Foundation	JOSEPH BARRERA KELLY SAISOL Foundation (ex)	LEPARD STEPHENSON STEELE Barrack New Face
INGRID RODRIGUEZ MARTINEZ RAIWOFD	JOB SAAS RIMM - Raizal Indigenous Musicians Movement	JIMMY GORDON Captain Morgan Ecological Park
CLEOTILDE HENRY President Association of Natiive Lodging
MARCELINO HUDGSON REEVES Spiritual leader Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church	JOSE ARCHBOLD ARCHBOLD Spiritual Leader Star of the Sea Catholic Church	GERMAN McNISH WILLIAMS Bishop Lynval and Cove Baptist Church
EDBURN NEWBALL Spiritual Leader San Luis Adventist Church	IGNACIO BARRERA KELLY Spiritual Leader Central Baptist Church	RICARDO GORDON MAY Spiritual Leader Comunidad Cristiana
JOASH MARVIN MARTINEZ REID Pastor,, sport and social leader Solid Rock Church	RICKY NEWBALL GRENARD Pastor Mount Zion Baptist Church	ALONSO FORBES POMARE Pastor Sound Bay Baptist Church
ZEPHANA FOBRES KELLY Pastor Morris Landing Baptist Mission	WINDEL TAYLOR LOPEZ Pastor Christian Mission Church	SHUANON HUDGSON BRITTON Pastor Frst Baptst Church
ELRU NEWBALL. Spiritual Leader Adventist Church	NEYIB THYME Spiritual leader Berachah Valley Christian Church (Old Providence islands)	ENRIQUE RODRIGUEZ BUSH Spiritual leader New Jerusalem Baptist Church (Old Providence islands)
DONALDO BRYAN Pastor New Life Tabernacle (Old Providence islands)	MARIA PORTER Pastor First Baptist Church (Old Providence islands)