Mini Smith Named Cibc Caribbean Unsung Hero
Lucinda “Mini” Smith of Tortola has been named the CIBC Caribbean Regional Unsung Hero for 2025 in recognition of decades of volunteer service across the Virgin Islands. Her award, announced Oct. 6 and presented at a ceremony in Barbados on Oct. 18, honours her meal deliveries, care for the sick and elderly, and community generosity symbolised by her coconut bread.
Lucinda “Mini” Smith of Tortola has been named the CIBC Caribbean Regional Unsung Hero for 2025, a regional accolade recognising decades of quiet volunteerism and compassion across the Virgin Islands. The selection was announced on Oct. 6 following a unanimous decision by a panel of regional judges and culminated in an awards ceremony held at Harrison’s Cave in Barbados on Oct. 18.
A longtime member of the Road Town Adventist Church, Mrs. Smith has spent years preparing and delivering meals to families in need and providing personal outreach to the sick and elderly. Her coconut bread, often shared freely throughout the community, has become a familiar symbol of kindness and neighbourliness on Tortola.
The nomination was put forward by Raymond “Chi Chi” Fonseca, who said Mrs. Smith’s care for his late brother during dialysis treatments inspired him to act. “Her kindness to him was the main reason I did it,” Fonseca said, noting that many others in the Territory also regard Mini as a blessing.
Smith received the award accompanied by her four daughters and joined fellow honourees Venetta Zakers of St. Kitts and Nevis and Joshuanette Francis of Antigua and Barbuda at the Barbados ceremony. Olivia Burnett, Trustee of the CIBC Caribbean ComTrust Foundation and Associate Senior Counsel with CIBC Caribbean, praised the recipients’ community work, saying, “Kindness is contagious.
As they show love and compassion to the vulnerable, it spreads—rippling across their communities and inspiring others to serve.” The CIBC Caribbean Unsung Heroes Programme was relaunched this year after more than a decade, with the stated aim of shining a light on individuals quietly transforming their communities through acts of care and courage.
Smith’s recognition is being celebrated in the BVI as a reminder of the Territory’s long-standing tradition of mutual aid and volunteer service. For residents of the Virgin Islands, the honour highlights the vital role that neighbourhood-based support plays—especially for those who care for the elderly, the sick, and families facing hardship.
Community leaders and churches often serve as the backbone of local relief efforts, and awards such as this help raise the profile of volunteers whose work typically goes unheralded. Smith’s win not only brings recognition to her decades of service but also encourages others in the BVI to continue small, sustaining acts of kindness that strengthen the Territory’s social fabric.
Primary source: JTV