Sir Shridath Ramphal has died

FORMER Commonwealth secretary general and former Guyana foreign affairs minister Sir Shridath “Sonny” Ramphal, 95, has died.

A statement issued by his son-in-law Sir Ronald Sanders, the Antigua and Barbuda ambassador to the US and the Organization of American States (OAS) on August 31, said Ramphal died peacefully at home surrounded by family members on August 30.

“Sir Shridath was predeceased by his beloved wife of 67 years, Lady Lois Ramphal, on September 20, 2019,” Sanders said.

News of his death saw an outpouring from condolences across Caricom and further afield.

In a Facebook post on August 30, the Prime Minister described Ramphal’s death as the retirement of a Caribbean stalwart.

“He soared with the intellectual best and carried us all on his wings. We were never as strong as when he stood up for us, and we were never better presented than when he represented us.”

Dr Rowley said, “May we always be worthy of his legacy.”

Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne, in a separate Facebook post on August 30 said, “Sir Shridath served his nation, our region, the Commonwealth, and all of humanity with great distinction and tremendous dignity.”

Browne added, “I salute the life and service of a master diplomat and great son of the Guyanese soil, in whom we should all be immensely proud.”

He extended condolences to Ramphal’s family.

“May they find comfort in the legacy of a life of service well-lived.”

Browne also said he conveyed condolences on government’s behalf to Guyana foreign affairs minister Hugh Todd.

In a statement, Guyana President Irfaan Ali said Ramphal’s death “marks the end of an era, not only for Guyana but for the entire Caribbean and the Commonwealth of Nations.”

Ali hailed Ramphal as ” an outstanding statesman, a regionalist par excellence, and a committed internationalist.”

Guyana, Ali continued, will forever be grateful to Ramphal for his “unflagging commitment to defending Guyana’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.”

He said Ramphal’s efforts before the International Court of Justice in the case against Venezuela and the Tribunal of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in the maritime dispute with Suriname “were not just a service to the nation; they were acts of supreme and selfless devotion to the land that nurtured him.”

Ali recalled that for his efforts on these issues, Sir Shridath was deservedly the recipient of Guyana’s highest national award, the Order of Excellence.

Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland, KC, said, Ramphal “was a giant of the Caribbean and one of the Commonwealth’s brightest lights.”

She identified his co-ordination of international opposition to the abolition of apartheid in South Africa, which happened in the early 1990’s as one of Sir Shridath’s many achievements which helped guide the Commonwealth into the modern era.”

“On behalf of the Commonwealth family of 56 nations and 2.7 billion citizens, I send my sincere and heartfelt condolences to Sir Sonny’s family, his loved ones, and all who had the privilege of working alongside him.”

Caricom chairman, Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell said, “We laud his pivotal contributions to regional integration and development, as an eminent jurist, minister of government and attorney-general in his native Guyana; chancellor of the University of Guyana and UWI; and chief negotiator for Carciom on external trade relations”

In a news release, UWI vice-chancellor Prof Sir Hilary Beckles expressed his condolences on behalf of the university, recognising Ramphal’s stature as a distinguished scholar and statesman, whose contributions to the university, the region, and the world cannot be forgotten.

“Sonny contributed much to the development of Caribbean civilization and institutions. I am sorry for his passing, but I am proud of his contributions. In every sense he was one of our greatest leaders and impactful citizens.”

Former foreign affairs minister Winston Dookeran said, “Sir Shridath, was one of the world’s top diplomats. A true credit to the Caribbean and Guyana.”

He added, “I was privileged to work with him at the Commonwealth Heads meeting in Malaysia and see how he worked with PM (Margaret) Thatcher of the UK on Idi Amin’s expulsion of the Indians from Uganda to bring a diplomatic solution.”

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