FAMILY, friends, colleagues, past students and well-wishers gathered to say farewell to Prof Brinsley Samaroo at a memorial service on Friday at Daaga Hall, UWI, St Augustine. He died last Sunday at age 84 after a brief illness. Campus principal Rose Marie Belle-Antoine welcomed mourners.
Numerous tributes attested to his pioneering and enduring contribution to both the study of history and the practice of politics.
Samaroo was a retired UWI lecturer and a past government minister, senator and MP.
Historian Prof Bridget Brereton said Samaroo had brought high quality study to local history, especially of the East Indian community and labour movement.
Economist and former politician Winston Dookeran said Samaroo had brought his deep historical insights to bear on the practice of politics, to the country’s benefit. Other tributes were delivered by Emancipation Support Committee (ESC) founder Khafra Kambon, UTT president Prof Prakash Persad, and UWI Prof Emeritus Kenneth Ramchand. Many attested to Samaroo’s kind-hearted and warm personality, especially to help students plus foreign researchers.
Among the mourners were former politicians Vasant Bharath, Dr Bhoendradatt Tewarie, Tim Hamel-Smith and Embau Moheni.
[caption id="attachment_1025670" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Joan Samaroo, wife of Prof Brinsley Samaroo, left, speaks with Dr Asha Kambon and head of the Emancipation Support Committee Khafra Kambon during Samaroo’s memorial service at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Daaga Hall Auditorium on Friday. - Photo by Ayanna Kinsale[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_1025671" align="alignnone" width="1024"] From left, Prof Clement Sankat, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal Prof Rose Marie Belle-Antoine, Prof Bridget Brereton, and Prof Prakash Persad listen to tributes at the memorial service of Prof Brinsley Samaroo at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Daaga Hall Auditorium, on Friday. - Photo by Ayanna Kinsale[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_1025672" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Dr Kavita Samaroo, daughter of Prof Brinsley Samaroo wipes her tears during his memorial service on Friday. - APhoto by Ayanna Kinsale[/caption]
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