Ferdie Ferreira's legacy

WITH the passing of Ferdinand "Ferdie" Ferreira, an era of concerned engagement with Trinidad and Tobago politics has drawn to an unfortunate close.

Mr Ferreira, 93, was a former close adviser to Dr Eric Williams, but spent much of his career in and out of active politics as an advocate for commonsense and committed service in governance.

Unquestionably a PNM man, he was known to engage, understand and sensibly argue political positions that did not align with his own, never descending to rancour or abusive, always seeking to raise the tone and value of debate, turning disagreement into something of an art-form.

Mr Ferreira was always upfront about his background on the Port of Spain docks and being a self-taught political analyst. He published a collection of his writing in 2017, Political Encounters 1946-2016 and an autobiography, Portraits of a Patriot, in 2022. UTT conferred an honorary doctorate of humane letters on him in 2021.

Mr Ferreira left school as a 14-year-old, committing to political change in 1946 as a member of Butler's Army of Liberation. He began his informal political education in the University of Woodford Square, where discussions were vigorous and spirited, and it was here that he became a believer in and supporter of the mission of Dr Williams. That commitment was shaken in 1980 when Dr Williams called for undated letters of resignation from his cabinet. Mr Ferreira was expelled from the party for having the temerity to question that command.

Mr Ferreira would join the Organisation for National Reconstruction under the leadership of Karl Hudson-Phillip, also ostracised from the PNM, and then worked on building the National Alliance for Reconstruction. He would rejoin the PNM in 1992 under the leadership of Patrick Manning. He did not return chastened by his experiences in other parties.

If anything, he only became more vocal in advocating for good governance and mutual respect in Parliament and the Senate.

Far from mellowing with age or growing weary after writing in columns, letters to the editor and responding to reporters for six decades, Mr Ferreira accepted no political lapses even within the party he supported for most of his life.

When Stuart Young appeared to be anointed prime minister, Mr Ferreira spoke up for the dissenting voices within the PNM that would have otherwise gone unheard.

After the party's crushing defeat in April, he expressed both reservations about and support for Pennelope Beckles. The Opposition Leader remembered him as "very honest," a fair summary of his outspoken, fearless, and informed commentary on this country's political development.

His clear and unequivocal voice, the last of an era of experienced political thinkers who saw politics as service and not theatre, will be missed.