Guyana has joined the rest of the Caribbean region in extending sympathy and support to the people of Trinidad and Tobago on the death of former Prime Minister, Patrick Manning.
In a statement on Saturday, the Government of Guyana, said “our nation shares in the deep sense of loss and grief which have overcome the people of Trinidad and Tobago on the passing of the long-serving, gentleman leader.”
The statement noted that Mr. Manning’s legacy will undoubtedly seat him among the distinguished leaders who served Trinidad and Tobago selflessly and with an immense sense of patriotic pride and solemn dignity.
“Mr. Manning will further be remembered as a leader and politician who was well liked, even across the political divide and as a man possessed of a deeply spiritual soul. In this regard he leaves a poignant legacy as an exemplar for politicians, leaders and servants of the people throughout our Caribbean region and further afield.”
The release also touched on his work in several areas across the region, reminding that “being an astute and lifelong supporter of sports and having understood its critical function in national development, he played a central role in the establishment of the Trinidad and Tobago elite athletes programme and sporting rewards initiative. With the continued emergence of several prominent national athletes across a multitude of disciplines, Trinidad and Tobago continues to benefit from Mr. Manning’s diverse legacy.”
The Guyanese government said the people and nation of Trinidad and Tobago and indeed the wider Caribbean region are richer for having benefitted from the service of Mr. Manning.
And Guyana’s Opposition Leader and former President, Bharrat Jagdeo in a statement of his own recalled that he worked with Patrick Manning for many years, as part of advancing bilateral relations between Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, as well as at the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) level.
“I grew to admire his uncompromising belief in Caribbean integration and supported many of his initiatives in pursuit of closer economic and other ties between countries of the Caribbean Region, particularly in the areas of health and security”, Mr. Jagdeo said.
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