Munir lived to the fullest

At the funeral of Munir Hosein at his home at Bejucal Road, Cunupia, yesterday, officiating pundit Khemraj Rambally said the passing of Hosein, a Newsday paginator, had deeply affected him.

Hosein, 55, died on August 5.

Rambally said: “When somebody dies I don’t search for words, but this guy has me baffled. When my mother died I couldn’t talk. And this reminds me of that.”

So confused was he that before getting to the funeral, he accidentally drove the wrong way along a one-way street.

He recalled just a couple of months ago being at the house for Hosein’s wedding anniversary celebrations. He said they made a lot of jokes then and never thought he would be back so soon and for Hosein’s funeral.

He knew Hosein was ill, but said but that didn’t stop him from moving on in life, doing what he wanted. But one thing about the Hosein family, they never mix matters with their prayers.

He praised Newsday staff for their tributes, which appeared on Wednesday’s newspaper but asked what about his family.

Rambally answered his own question, saying that as Hosein had spent the last 20-plus years at Newsday, his co-workers had become his family, whereas his blood family would just see him early mornings, late nights and on holidays.

“He worked with people of different faiths, but regardless of what faith you belong, you have to go home with God eventually,” said Rambally, who led a prayer/ritual session with male family members gathered around Hosein’s casket.

Elizabeth Bunsee, with whom Hosein worked in the past, delivered the eulogy on behalf of the family.

“Muni,” as he was fondly called, she said, grew up in Rousillac, attended Rousillac Hindu Primary School and Siparia Junior Secondary and graduated from Siparia Composite School with eight passes. At 17, he began his career in the media at the Bomb newspaper, where he spent several years before taking up a job at Newsday in 1998.

In between that though, he found the love of his life, Kamla, whom he married six days shy of his 20th birthday.

Bunsee said God saw it fit to bless them almost immediately, as 11 months later they had their firstborn son, Venush.

“With such a well of joy and bliss, it was nice enough to do it twice and the following year came Denash,” said Bunsee as mourners giggled.

The Hoseins also had two girls, Sasha and Samantha, but, said Bunsee, though Hosein had four biological children, he also had an adopted son Tony, and was “father” to many more and even called them his own.

Describing him as a “skilful guy,” she said, “He learned from looking and helping – how to build a house, plumbing, carpentry, mechanic, painting, and much more. But I would like to think that he loved cooking the most.” Most of the mourners nodded in agreement.

She spoke of the many other selfless acts Hosein did for family and friends, before turning to his dedication to the job he did up to his passing.

“At Newsday he gained a family that loved and cared for him deeply and he did not hesitate to treat them like his own, the way you would treat family.”

Quoting his children’s sentiments, Bunsee said Venush found Hosein more a brother and best friend to him, while to Denash said he was a very down-to-earth, nice guy.

Sasha was encouraged always to be a leader and Samantha remained his “spoil child.”

Tony remembers the games Hosein played with him and his “siblings” and Devika lamented she won’t get soup again. As for his wife Kamla, she said her life would never be the same.

Sunday Newsday editor Camille Moreno, speaking on behalf of the management and staff of the company, said: “His passing shocked us all. We really don’t know what to say. In every area of the company, somebody had something good to say about the things he did.”

Noting Hosein’s wealth of talent in many areas, Moreno said: “I think we fell short in not learning things from Munir. He will be dearly missed every day. We well never forget him.”

Before performing the final prayers and ritual, Rambally said Hosein was a devoted husband, father and work colleague, and advised all present to “do your duty to the best of your ability while you are alive so when the time comes, you leave happy. Let’s live and be merry, and when you dead you will bury. He lived that.” Hosein’s body was taken to the Caroni cremation site for the final rites.