The National Assembly earlier this month paid tributes to three late Members of Parliament (MPs), Everall Franklin, Robert Williams and Sheila Holder.
Motions to pay tribute to the MPs were moved by opposition members and approved by the National Assembly at its sitting on August 2.
The resolve clauses of the motions called for members of the National Assembly to pay tribute to their service as MPs and to convey sympathy to their families.
Franklin, who had been an MP for GAP-ROAR, died on November 30 last year.
APNU MP Deborah Backer, who moved the motion to pay tribute to Franklin, told the House that she remembered that he was very interested in politics. While going through the years of his life that she worked with him, she said that he was so knowledgeable about politics that he often “out spoke” her.
Franklin, who was English born and among scholarship students who travelled to East Germany, often expressed the views that the two main political parties – PPP and PNCR – spent too much time working against each other to the detriment of the country, Backer recalled.
She added that the greatest gift he could be given was tireless efforts to achieve a government of national unity and the place that “not only Everall dreamt of, continues to dream of, but that all of us dream of.”
PPP/C MP Manzoor Nadir said that Franklin was concerned about the welfare of the people and felt that the country should always be put first. During his five years in Parliament, Nadir said, Franklin was always considerate with whatever he said and always made his decisions with much thought. AFC’s Cathy Hughes also fondly recalled her work with Franklin.
Meanwhile, Williams, who was Deputy Georgetown Mayor at the time of his death on January 30, this year, had served as MP for the PNC from 1981 to 1986. APNU MP Basil Williams moved the motion in recognition of his service as MP and called him “a politician’s politician,” who was always pleasant and a people’s person.
Moses Nagamootoo, who supported the motion on behalf of the AFC, noted that he had known Williams since his days in “short pants” and he related many childhood episodes that they shared. He said that Williams’ entrance into politics was a surprise to him as he never indicated that it was a path that he wanted to pursue. PPP/C MP Odinga Lumumba, speaking on behalf of the government, said that Williams was always willing to help, while recalling that he got to know him very well since they served together at the municipality as councillors.
Holder, who had been an MP for AFC and GAP-WPA, died on November 20, last year. AFC MP Khemraj Ramjattan, who moved the motion to pay tribute to her, said that she was “a wonderful woman who must rank in the top order of public figures in our county’s recent history.” He called her a champion parliamentarian, with total integrity and the highest standard of morality and decency.
APNU MP Africo Selman described Holder as an exemplary parliamentarian while PPP/C MP Indra Chandarpal recalled her passion for consumer affairs issues and her work in parliament.
