Mayaro celebrates ‘community man’

ACTIVITIES in the rural seaside community of Mayaro were put on pause yesterday when hundreds of mourners assembled at the Mayaro recreation ground to celebrate the life of former PNM councillor, sportsman, and community activist Jimmy Edwards.

Edwards, 53, who lived at Spring Flats, Mayaro, died on December 21 after the motorcycle he was riding, crashed into in the path of a Nissan Frontier. The accident happened at the Naparima Mayaro Road, Mile End Village, Rio Claro.

At the funeral service yesterday, several people paid tribute to Edwards. Former students beat drums while motorcyclists led the procession as it made its way from the St Bartholomew Anglican Church to the recreation ground.

Family friend Wendell Perez, in his remarks, remembered Edwards as an avid basketball player who had represented Mayaro at tournaments. He joked Edwards was also the “shortest starting centre in basketball in our community.”

“He loved his family tremendously. He took spontaneously trips around TT with his family and friends. Jimmy made sure that his children got a chance at tertiary education, and his daughter wanted to quote him as saying, “no man could buss style on allyuh once allyuh have it.”

“Jimmy was truly a community person extraordinaire.”

He recalled that Edwards had represented the Mayaro North electoral district in the Mayaro/ Rio Claro Regional Corporation as a PNM councillor.

“Jimmy took that quite seriously. He started a drumming class for youths, he was the president of Mayaro village council and also on the regional and national level.”

Meanwhile, speaking to Sunday Newsday earlier, Mayaro MP Rushton Paray described Edwards as an “outstanding member of the Mayaro community.”

“He was a live wire and well loved by each and every one he came into contact with. I always enjoyed meeting Jimmy at functions or my business place. He was full of ideas of how to make our community better. Our engagements were always filled with laughter and joy.”

“Jimmy has left a vacancy that will not be filled.”

NCC chairman and former Mayaro MP Winston “Gypsy” Peters also attended the service.

Edwards was buried at the Radix Public cemetery.