God’s plan for my life!

CENTENARIAN OLGA CUFFLEY taking a sip of wine while sharing a toast with Acting Governor General Elliott Belgrave. (Rawle Culbard)

Sat, February 11, 2012 - 12:00 AM

BARBADOS’ LATEST CENTENARIAN Olga Cuffley says she reached her milestone because “this is what God wanted and it happened”.

Cuffley, who resides at the Wellcare Golden Jewels Senior Citizens Home in Coles Road, Merricks, St Philip, said during a visit from Acting Governor General Elliott Belgrave on Thursday that she was elated to be granted the opportunity by God to be the first out of eight children, of whom she is the only surviving person, to become a centenarian.

The centenarian resided in Brooklyn, New York, for 60 years after leaving Barbados in 1949 to live with an older sister. There she worked as a machine operator in a store.

She is hearing-impaired. But she walks on her own with the aid of a cane, takes care of her hygiene needs, feeds herself and has a very good sense of humour.

Fairly good people

“I don’t suffer, though. I have people to help me.

I don’t like to impose on anybody, so I asked Mr Man [my nephew] to get me a home and he find this one for me. The people here fairly good, them don’t do me anything. I get my clothing and everything done very good,” said the chatty centenarian, who returned to Barbados in 2009.

Cuffley’s nephew Trevor Campbell said that his aunt, who has no children, was a good woman who made a significant contribution to him and his siblings’ development.

“We were the recipient of several parcels from the United States during the year. At Christmas we could always look forward to a Christmas card with a piece of change inside,” said Campbell. (AH)