Ex-senator Hamlet 'Yaxsie' Joseph dies

Ex-senator Hamlet "Yaxsie" Joseph has died at the age of 88. The former senator died on September 12 at the Port of Spain General Hospital.

Joseph was a community leader in Success Village, Laventille, a Tapia House member (political party) and ex-senator.

Joseph became a senator at the age of 33, as a trio of Tapia House senators (Lloyd Best and Ivan Laughlin) in October 1974.

Laughlin, who sat next to Joseph in the Senate, said they had a very good personal and professional friendship.

"We shared many, very interesting times when we met with other people and went to different parts of the country and went to political meetings and weekly meetings at the Tapia House."

Laughlin said he learned many things from Joseph which helped him understand things better.

"He was a quietish fella, but he had a very deep view of things and had his own way of expressing them.

"I learnt from him because he had his way of putting it together and I gained from having that experience with him."

Laughlin said he felt like he owed Joseph a lot from their time spent together.

"He was a great friend of mine and I personally (feel) a great deal of debt (to him)...our whole life thereafter up until he died we were always close friends and never forgot each other and communicated as we best could."

Former journalist and independent senator Sunity Maharaj also described Joseph as a quiet person who had a "certain distinction about him."

She said while she did not know him well enough, she knew that he had a major role in the Highlanders Steel Orchestra being revived.

A statement from Lloyd Taylor said Joseph helped Robby Hernandez to revive the Highlanders Steel Orchestra which saw the construction of a new pan yard and pan theatre on Eastern Main Road, Laventille.

Taylor said Joseph was well respected in Laventille.

"He was a change agent who believed that it is the responsibility of community leaders to advance social and political transformation in the communities where they belong and that constitutional rights should be given to communities to make decisions for capital projects that improved the quality of life of its residents."

His funeral will take place on September 27 at the Highlanders Pan Theatre, Eastern Main Road, Success Village, Laventille from 9 am.

Joseph leaves behind his brother Evans, his children Achebe, Marlon and Carinta and many nieces and nephews.