CARMARTHENSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL took the opportunity to thank the Lord- Lieutenant of Dyfed in the last full council meeting held before his retirement in February.
The Hon. Robin Lewis OBE has held the position of Lord Lieutenant for ten years, and Chair Peter Hughes- Griffiths took the opportunity for councilors, council staff and on behalf the people of Carmarthenshire to wish him well for his retirement, and to ‘thank him for the commitment and dedication he brought carrying out his role.’
“He has been a good friend – I know that past Chairmen, the Chief Executive, and other staff will appreciate his loyal support, kind advice and attendance at a variety of functions,” Cllr Hughes Griffiths added.
The Hon. Mr Lewis OBE is to be given the title of Commander of the Royal Victorian Order as a reward for his contribution in the role of Lord- Lieutenant.
After receiving gifts from the council, the Hon. Mr Lewis joked that he would ‘need a bigger car to take them home.’
He told councilors that, although he was from Pembrokeshire, he had been introduced to Carmarthen in 1947 as a pupil of a Quay Street school. Carmarthen town was ‘foreign territory’ for him, until he got better-acquainted with the town through ‘living in an attic in Quay Street four nights a week for two years.’
“My first memories go back a long way – there wasn’t a roof on this building [County Hall] when I first came to Carmarthen.”
The Hon. Mr Lewis talked about returning to work for the former Dyfed County Council, before starting his own business – Magstim – in Whitland, which is now a world-leading manufacturer of medical electronics used by neuroscientists and medical professionals and employs around 100 people.
He added that he was ‘very proud’ to see the company ‘flourishing, employing all these people and exporting goods all over the world.’
The Hon Mr Lewis said that he had ‘very much enjoyed the last ten years,’ joking that he would ‘never know’ why the Queen had chosen him for the role of Lord-Lieutenant but had ‘made the best of it,’ and was ‘very pleased’ to see that the Deputy Lord-Lieutenant Sara Edwards, would succeed him in the role.
He also took the opportunity to than the Chief Executive, and Audrey and Jessica, ‘who are seconded to me among their very many other duties.’
“I owe them both a great deal,” he added.
“We’ve got a lot to look forward to in this part of the world – a lot of history and a lot of progress for the future,” he added.
The Lord Lieutenant is the local representative of The Queen. Their first duty is to uphold the dignity of the Crown. They are expected, in doing this, to foster a spirit of cooperation by giving time to voluntary and benevolent organisations, and by taking an interest in the business and social life of the counties they represent.
Modern-day duties of Lord- Lieutenants include arranging Royal visits and escorting members of the Royal family; advising the Queen about Honours nominations and presenting medals on her behalf; leading the local magistracy as Chairman of the advisory committee on Justices of the Peace; and liaising with local armed services units.
The Lord-Lieutenancy is a non-political position, appointed by the Monarch to serve until they reach the age of 75 years.
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