By Dr. Ralph E. Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Sir Shridath Surendranath Ramphal, born on October 3, 1928, died on August 30, 2024, was some of the distinguished individuals to have come from our Caribbean. He was born in colonial British Guiana (now Guyana) however belonged, in his life, residing, and work, to the Caribbean, the Commonwealth, and the world. His life and work had been in quest of an extra ennoblement of our Caribbean civilisation and humanity, globally.
Sir Shridath, affectionately recognized to all as “Sonny”, descended from indentured labourers out of India, who had been corralled to supply low cost labour in colonial British Guyana subsequent to the abolition of the enslavement of African our bodies and the arrival of indentured servants from Portuguese Madeira.
From an early age, Sonny Ramphal embraced the method, and outcomes, of creolisation and ethnic integration in Guyana and our Caribbean. He enveloped himself, too, from his college years in Britain to the top of his days upon this Earthly Metropolis, with the praxis of financial and political integration of the West Indies.
Sir Shridath’s profound understanding, derived from deep research and lived experiences, of colonialism, imperialism, globalisation, racism, monopoly capitalism, battle, and conflict, formed his political consciousness in pursuance of human dignity, social justice, equality, the bolstering of sovereignty and independence, equity and fairness in international affairs, democracy and freedom, dialogue and compromise, peace and sustainable improvement.
Sir Shridath’s scholarship, immense technical and diplomatic abilities, capability for laborious and sensible work, integrity and honesty, the uplifting core values of his persona, and his superlative accomplishments mark him as essentially the most excellent diplomat and negotiator to have ever emerged from our Caribbean. The assorted excessive places of work which Sir Shridath held in Guyana, the Caribbean, the Commonwealth, and globally over his lengthy and illustrious profession, and his extraordinary endeavours, are testimony to his unparalleled greatness as our area’s premier diplomat ever, and his standing within the entrance ranks of our nice statesmen/girls.
At first, I noticed this nice man from a distance; later I labored with him within the winery of regional integration, and within the course of, turned his scholar and his pal. I’m unlikely ever to fulfill one other statesman/girl and Caribbean man/girl of a better high quality than “Sonny” Ramphal.
All through all of it, “Sonny” Ramphal exhibited his tried and examined values of humility, a tremendous grace, an abiding religion, a refreshed hope, and an everlasting love for individuals, particularly the marginalized and the deprived, and a endurance and a peaceful.
Sir Shridath was a household man imbued with a profound sense of group and social solidarity.
Martin Carter’s “Taking a look at Your Arms” appears apt:
“No!
I cannot nonetheless my voice!
I’ve
an excessive amount of to assert –
for those who see me
taking a look at books
or coming to your own home
or strolling within the solar
know that I search for hearth!
“I’ve learnt
from books expensive pal
of males dreaming and residing
and hungering in a room with no gentle
who couldn’t die since dying was far too poor
who didn’t sleep to dream, however dreamed to alter the world!
“And so
for those who see me
taking a look at your palms
listening whenever you converse
marching in your ranks
you could know
I don’t sleep to dream, however dream to alter the world.”
On behalf of the federal government and folks of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, on behalf of my household and me, I specific sincerest condolences to the household and associates of Sir Surendranath Shridath Ramphal.