[UPDATED] President's butler laid to rest

LEWIN DIRK BLACKMAN was not a servant, but a man who served with dignity and pride, one who went beyond the call of duty.

Blackman, 47, served in the President’s House for about 28 years, and developed a bond with each president and their families who came and went. His last boss was President Paula-Mae Weekes, who also turned out to pay her respects.

Blackman, who died on July 2, was given his last rites today at the Holy Saviour Anglican Church, Frederick Street, Curepe.

His former boss former President Anthony Carmona described Blackman as more than a butler.

“When I was in office my children were very young. They grew up around him. He was the one who would guide them and tell them what to do. When late President Arthur NR Robinson and his wife were ill, he was their nursemaid. He would help change their clothes, take care of them. He was a remarkable person with a sense of responsibility and dedication,” Carmona said after the service yesterday.

West began working as a temporary handyman intermittently from January 1992 and continued until March 1993. He was the butler effective from July, 2001.

He served under current President Paula-Mae Weekes and under former Presidents, Noor Hassanali, Robinson, George Maxwell Richards and Carmona.

Rev Dr Steve West, while delivering the homily, compared Blackman’s work and what Jesus Christ did according to the Bible.

“Jesus lived a life of service to the people. Jesus served all of God’s people with love. His service was outgoing, He went out to call his disciples to let them experience God’s love for them. This outgoing service was a reflection for his humility. Jesus was responsive to the needs of others. He listened, He observed and then a He acted.”

He thanked God for Blackman whose life he said was dedicated to service in a country where service was “a bad word.”

“Sometimes you are made to feel you are invisible when you go into an office or a store and there are several people around and nobody sees you and you wonder why they are there.

“Don’t they understand that life is about fulfilling the needs of others? You come into their place and they make you feel like you are absent.

“Thank God for someone who understood service. He was a butler, it was his vocation, it was what he was called to do. Most of us would have never encountered a real live butler and would not recognise the importance of the life of a butler.

“It is a job that requires an attitude of service, humility, compassion, and love. He carried out that task to the best of his ability, and those with whom he worked were satisfied with the way he carried out his duties. What more can you ask from a human being? He was an example for all of us.” His colleagues from the staff at President’s House came to pay their respects

Blackman was cremated at the Tacarigua Crematorium.

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

Lewin Dirk Blackman was not a servant, but a man who served with dignity and pride, one who went beyond the call of duty.

Blackman, 47, served as a butler at President's House for about 30 years, and developed a bond with each president and their families who came and went. He last worked for President Paula-Mae Weekes.

Blackman, who died on July 2, was given his last rites today at the Holy Saviour Anglican Church, Frederick Street, Curepe.

His former boss Justice Anthony Carmona described Blackman as more than a butler.

"When I was in office my children were very young. He was the one who would guide them and tell them what to do. When late President Arthur NR Robinson and his wife were ill, he was their nursemaid. He was a remarkable person with a sense of responsibility and dedication."

Blackman was cremated at the Tacarigua Crematorium.