Dear Editor,
Clarence Ellis was a good man and will continue to live in our minds as long as we continue to recognize his life’s work of fighting in the interest of right. Cowards die many times before their death, the valiant never taste of death but once, and so it was with Clarence Ellis who passed recently.
Clarence was valiant in his fight to help transform his native Guyana into a place of liberty for all. He was a true patriot who possessed a unique blend of love for and knowledge of his country combined with a sincere desire to engage anyone who was genuinely interested in positive change. Clarence dedicated his life to serving his country, which he did gallantly in various capacities for many years.
Until the very end his commitment to Guyana was unwavering. While we have many fond memories of Clarence, one in particular stands out that speaks to the essence of the man.
We remember visiting him in hospital just a few months ago; he was very sick at the time, and there he was reading, writing, and engaging us on Guyana, allowing us to drink from his fountain of knowledge.
Unlike many of his generation, he was unique in that he never assumed that because he was older he knew better.
He understood how to navigate the convergence of modernity with tradition, and he deliberately sought input from the younger generation. He always insisted that we were included in meetings even when others thought differently.
Those of us who were privileged to be in his company are the beneficiaries of a priceless education and for this we are forever indebted to him. Whether we were discussing the history of Guyana, local government, national government, banking and finance, or Guyana’s vast resources, Clarence understood the historical context and always had something illuminating to share on these various subjects.
We all held him in the greatest affection and respect. He was a fighter to the very end and in this respect; Claude McKay put it best: “like a man he stood against the murderous and cowardly pack, pressed against the wall dying but fighting back.” This was the essence of Clarence; a true son of the soil freed by death, the final liberator. We are saddened and profoundly grieved.
Goodbye our friend and mentor, you will be sorely missed.
Yours faithfully,
Floyd N Haynes
Mark Walcott
