Baboolal funeral Monday

THE funeral service for the late Dr Linda Baboolal, former president of the Senate, will be held on Monday at 10 am at All Saints Anglican Church, Marli Street, Port of Spain. Her body will then be taken to the St James Crematorium at 1.30 pm.

Yesterday the House of Representatives held a minute of silence for Baboolal who was a past MP for Barataria/San Juan, with members paying tribute.

Speaker Esmond Forde said Baboolal was an “unwavering humanitarian” who was actively involved in drug-rehabilitation agency New Life Ministries.

House Leader Camille Robinson-Regis hailed Baboolal’s compassion and concern.

“Many would attest that when you left her, you left a changed person, a little better person than when you first came.”

Robinson-Regis said Baboolal defied TT’s ethno-political construct and stamped her own style on the PNM as chairman. Robinson-Regis hailed Baboolal as one who could “share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand.”

She said, “Linda took the risk of loving her country and her party. Through it all she kept us in check.

“Her wise counsel as senate president was often enough to soothe the frayed nerves of the government and the rampaging onslaughts of the opposition.”

Robinson-Regis vowed Linda’s shadow would never be allowed the fade and disappear.

Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh said Baboolal’s life had met standards set by the world’s top statesmen. Nelson Mandela had once said the measure of a life was “the difference we have made to the lives of others,” while Winston Churchill had said, “We make a life by what we give.”

Gopeesingh said "I had the distinct pleasure of first meeting Dr Baboolal in 1975 at the Paediatric Ward of the Port of Spain General Hospital when we both worked as young doctors.”

He said as a former senator he and Senator Wade mark were highly impressed by Baboolal’s dignity, humility, grace, fairness and judiciousness.

“She stands out as exemplary and unparalleled in that crucial role as a guardian and overseer of our sacred chamber of democracy.”

President Paula-Mae Weekes in a statement paid tribute to Baboolal for serving TT with distinction and dignity.

She said Baboolal was a trailblazer including being first woman to act as president of TT by virtue of being the president of the Senate.

“Upon my appointment to the Office of President, I received from Dr Baboolal a warm and supportive letter of congratulations on behalf of herself and her husband, Dr Michael Baboolal. It was testimony to her kind and magnanimous spirit.”