Citation for Dr. Malcolm Howitt
Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners’ Annual Banquet, May 19, 2007
When I asked Dr. Howitt to provide me with material for this citation, he promised to send his CV by e-mail. On receiving it a few days later, its brevity brought to mind Alexander Pope who wrote “Words are like leaves, and when they most abound, much fruit of sense is rarely found.” I too, will follow Pope.
Malcolm received his secondary level education at The Lodge School where in athletics he sprinted as a member of the four by one-hundred relay team that set and held a record for five years. A modest Malcolm has not revealed his record- breaking time. This was his first major successful team effort and no doubt paved the way for his later collaborative work. Malcolm spoke not only with the tongue of his sprinting shoes but excelled in his oratorical skills (perhaps influenced by a young Henry Fraser) to be hailed winner of the National Public Speaking Championships. He was to crown all of this later with The Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award not only as a winner but as Barbados’ first recipient.
Malcolm continues to track fields better known as fairways and greens in what he refers to as an “occasional Wednesday hacker of golf.”
The name Malcolm is of Celtic origin. Scotland is synonymous with the Celtic language, the land of thistle and heather, the home of golf, and its fine blends of whisky, and while Malcolm has stuck to fine Scottish tradition of golf, his sense of taste has spirited him away from dis-tilleries and taken him instead to cellars of Bordeaux, Italian and Californian Napa Valley vintages. Of course, he would leave with a bottle or two to compliment an ever growing or sometimes depleted collection. His secret for being a collector of fine wines is now declared officially over.
His pursuit of a career began at the renowned McGill University, Montreal, Canada and after graduating with an Honours degree in Genetics his vision of “a light rising from the west” brought him to The Faculty of Medicine, Mona, Jamaica where in 1974 he earned himself yet another gold, and being the recipient of the Gold medal in Biochemistry he proceeded on scholarship to University College, London.
He graduated MBBS (UWI), class of 1978. After internship at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, he chose to hone his skills as a general practitioner. Malcolm was soon to distinguish himself in the field of research on Asthma with publications in peer reviewed regional and inter-national journals, and with presentations at conferences in similar venues, in addition to his many contributions at local CME conferences.
He would later become the Caribbean Coordinator of the International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Childhood, and currently co-chairs the CHRC committee to draw up Caribbean Guidelines of the Treatment and Management of Asthma.
He has been advisor to, served on, or co-chaired many committees – locally and regionally, and presided over our own Barbados Association of Medical Practi- tioners.
Having served initially as a floor member and later as its public relations officer, Malcolm’s service and dedication to the organization has been legendary as its treasurer for fifteen years. Philanthropy is not a profession. You can’t be a great philanthropist only a generous one – a very generous one he has been, and to date he remains the longest serving member on BAMP’s executive.
As treasurer, Malcolm bemoaned having to pay rent and armed with the requisite skills, he set about securing property to house the organization. Today, we can all recognize and appreciate the wisdom of his pursuit, as we acclaim ownership of the BAMP Complex.
Malcolm’s determination and doggedness marked him from his peers. Driven by a sense of individuality while clearly holding the belief that people volunteering together in a spirit of cooperation could accomplish great things, his message was unambiguous - we are here to add what we can to life, not what we can get from life.
Malcolm also had the imagination and creative insight to recognize that it is truly fitting and proper to pay tribute to the really great members of our profession, and he joins tonight that group of illustrious peers - our own pantheon who have achieved such distinction by either, genius, true originality, scholarship or by intangible personal resources. Malcolm not only conceptualized the award but personally secured and brought the commemorative plate back from London for many years.
Giving to others should be ordinary, not the extra- ordinary. Giving an award should be reserved for the extraordinary: - should be reserved to remind the public of the truly great figures in our profession’s history.
Malcolm’s contribution is perhaps best summed up in the words of Gibran: You give but little when you give your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.
Tonight the Barbados Association of Medical Practi-tioners salutes you in recognition of your contribution to continuing medical education and family medicine in Barbados. Mr. President, distinguished guests, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen – “Dr. Malcolm Howitt.”
P. Abdon DaSilva