Deputy PoS mayor: Akil Durham had 'heaps of integrity'

A man of integrity. A man with resilience. A man for all seasons.

This was how former PNM councillor Akil Durham was described as people viewed his body at City Hall, Port of Spain on Friday after he died suddenly on Monday at 33.

Among the many people who viewed his body were Minister of National Security Stuart Young, Mayor Joel Martinez and Deputy Mayor Hillan Morean.

All three lauded his achievements and pointed out his good qualities, which they hoped others coming up in public service would emulate.

“His honesty, his resilience and his ability to speak his mind were some of his best qualities,” said Young. “His passing should inspire people considering public service, because in his short life, this is how he chose to serve TT.”

Young, MP for Port of Spain North/St Ann's West, said he and Durham had a close working relationship and they had spoken days before his death about future plans.

Morean said they worked closely together for years, having polling divisions in Port of Spain North and St Ann’s West. He said Durham was a person for whom he had great admiration, and who always had an ambition to do better for his community and do it in a transparent and lawful manner.

“People need to emulate his integrity. He had heaps of it,” Morean said. “It got him into run-ins with people, because he stood on principle. He would not stand with you because he is your friend. He was a man for all seasons. And he stuck to the law. Whatever laws that guided our decision-making, he stuck to that. His decisions weren’t made on partisanship or friendship, and whatever he raised at council level, no one could say he was wrong because he always backed it up with the law.”

Martinez described him as a passionate and vibrant individual who would take any opportunity to do something for the benefit of the people of Port of Spain.

“This city is in mourning over the passing of this man. He made his presence felt. He was one of those councillors who stood for what he believed is right. He fought for his constituents with passion and he put himself last. He really and truly was a young dynamic politician who had a tremendous future.”

Newsday understands that Durhm had been in and out of hospital for the past two weeks.

He represented the Belmont North and West district from 2016-2019. He did not stand for re-election in the November 2019 local government elections.