PM: He had hope for the nation

PHOTO BY AZLAN MOHAMMED.
PHOTO BY AZLAN MOHAMMED.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley yesterday said all citizens must hold on to the hope that former president George Maxwell Richards had, that TT could overcome any challenge it faces. Speaking at the state funeral at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), Rowley observed, “Today in our country, the challenges might appear to be great.”

However whether as University of the West Indies (UWI) principal, President or an ordinary citizen, Rowley said Richards never lost hope in TT. The Prime Minister said while there are some pe ople who continue to encourage others that there is no hope in this country, Richards was, “the living testimony of accomplishment and aspiration.”

Rowley said people must emulate what made Richards the statesman that he was. “That is he refused to accept failure and always refused to accept the country could not be better,” he declared. The Prime Minister said this was evident as principal when he stepped into the breach to prevent UWI’s Engineering Faculty from collapse.

As a former member of UWI’s Seismic Research Department, which itself was often on the brink of collapse when payments from Caricom countries were slow in coming or never came, Rowley recalled that he and other staffers were always reassured by Richards’ “bright smile and words of encouragement” that things would be better.

He said Richards took these same values when he was elected this country’s fourth president in 2003. Rowley remembered in December 2012 when Richards “stood up in the era of Section 34.”

At that time, Richards requested information from then prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on the Section 34 fiasco. Legal experts then questioned whether Richards was overstepping his constitutional remit.

Rowley said Richards as principal, impacted on “tens of thousands of our young people at UWI” including him when he was a student there. He hoped there were others like Richards who were similarly nurturing young people at UWI to be future giants in TT and beyond.

Acting President Christine Kangaloo said in Richards, TT had “a good number four” batsman in its presidency. She said Richards built on the foundations left by his three predecessors, Sir Ellis Clarke, Noor Hassanali and Arthur NR Robinson (all deceased).

Comparing Richards to West Indies captain Brian Lara, who held a similar position in the team’s batting line-up, Kangaloo said”a good number four” stabilised the innings when the team had a poor start and built on the momentum when the team had a great start.

UWI principal Prof Brian Copeland said before serving as President for a decade, Richards “belonged to us first.” Copeland said the UWI Fete created by Richards is now in its 28th year and helped create much-needed student bursaries.

Through the event, he said, many artistes and promoters were also given opportunities to develop themselves. Archbishop Barbara Burke said Richards’ passing must be a wake-up call for the nation to unite to combat crime and other ills.

The service featured lively performances by the Lydian Singers (joined at one stage by Chief Justice Ivor Archie, who is a member), Bishop Anstey High School choir, the National Symphony Orchestra, National Philharmonic Orchestra and a tassa group.

Apart from several government and opposition parliamentarians and diplomats, several other notable personalities attended the service. They included former prime minister Basdeo Panday, former government minister Jack Warner, former Senate president Linda Baboolal and new RC Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon.

After the service, Richards’ body was taken east along the Priority Bus Route (PBR) to Belgroves Funeral Home in Trincity for cremation. Students from St Mary’s Anglican School and members of the public lined the route to pay their respects.

Ramjohn-Richards and Maxine walked behind the gun carriage bearing Richards’ casket from Caura Junction to shortly before the funeral home.

Ramjohn-Richards got into a vehicle at this stage to follow the carriage for the rest of the journey. Richards’ ashes are to be taken to San Fernando and scattered over the Gulf of Paria.

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