Three former premiers have been recognised for their devotion to public duty.

Sir John Swan, Dame Jennifer Smith, and Alex Scott, each received awards from the Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast Committee at a celebratory luncheon at the Willowbank Resort in Sandys yesterday.

Sir John served as Premier between 1985 and 1996 when he led the United Bermuda Party government. Dame Jennifer served as the first Progressive Labour Party Premier between 1998 and 2003 and was replaced by Alex Scott, who held the post until 2006.

Before presenting the recipients with their awards, Randy Horton, the chairman of the committee and a former Speaker of the House, praised the trio for their “incredible standards”.

He said: “These people have been outstanding in the service that they have given to our community and we can never say ‘thank you’ too much to people who have given their time to serving the people of Bermuda.”

Robert Horton, a former Permanent Secretary in the civil service who served under all three recipients, then read biographies of the trio and lavished them with praise.

Mr Horton highlighted Mr Scott’s “inspired leadership” during Hurricane Fabian in 2003 and several significant initiatives that he steered through Parliament, including Public Access to Information legislation.

In a short acceptance speech filled with humour, Mr Scott told the audience — which included the Premier, David Burt, and current and former MPs from both sides of the House — that he never expected to be honoured for his work.

Referring to his award of a CBE, Mr Scott said that the letters stood for Cute, Black, and Egotistical.

Looking back at his career in politics, he said: “I was not always as quiet and dignified as I am now. I was a hit man for the PLP.”

But he thanked the committee for bringing MPs together in a dignified manner.

He said: “Young folks can only rise to a level that we hold them responsible to. Let’s hope the spirit of the parliamentary group will make our parliament respected.”

Dame Jennifer was not present at the ceremony because of poor health, but her niece, Terlena Murphy, accepted the award on her behalf.

In a touching tribute, Ms Murphy described her aunt as an accomplished woman who was now battling dementia.

“It is an honour to be here and I want to express our heartfelt gratitude for the recognition bestowed in Dame Jennifer and her remarkable contributions to our beloved country.

“Dame Jennifer is an accomplished woman who has had many firsts in her life. However, this is the first time our family has had to navigate the challenges of managing a public figure’s wishes while dealing with a deeply personal and private struggle.

“We have witnessed the gradual loss of her love of reading and painting, but there are moments when we catch glimpses of her true personality.“

Sir John praised his fellow awardees, saying: “We walked down the path of life with each other. We shared a common destiny in trying to make Bermuda a better place and on order to make Bermuda a better place when we all try to make each other better.

“This award doesn’t represent me, it represents all of you. We are all brothers and sisters. I would not be the person I am if someone hadn’t put their hand on my shoulder or said something nice about me that allowed me to take the next step in my life.

“When you can put aside fear and tune into love — love your neighbour, love your friend, love those you have never met before — you will find out that you have a common destiny.

“I love Bermuda and I love its people and that has been the strength and the power of my journey.”