Dear Editor,
Etwaria Kumar carried herself so humbly that it was very easy to be unaware of all her accomplishments. As a student I was very guilty of this as well, and it was only with all the information that I got after she died, I realized that Guyana may have greatly under-valued the treasure we had. Ms Etwaria Kumar and I talked a lot about various things in the local government system, and there are many things I learnt from her as a former Deputy Mayor.
Gecom suffered a great loss when its Returning Officer for Region Two died suddenly at home. The 85-year-old officer was also the first Mayor of Anna Regina Township and was a Headmistress of Anna Regina Multilateral School (ARMS). She was well known both locally and internationally. She fearlessly represented her Council and ARMS at countless meetings overseas.
But we are all here for a season and a reason. Ms Kumar lived her 85 years well. Like many of us, she had many challenges and heartbreaks, but the many, many positives and what she accomplished in these years stretch the imagination.
I am very sure that even some of her teaching colleagues were unaware of many of her accomplishments.
The late headmistress had a sound knowledge of the education sector in Guyana.
She had many opportunities overseas but chose to come back to serve her country, and that she did unflinchingly. Our country and the education sector in particular suffered a great loss by her passing. We, as a people, will have to ensure that her work does not go unnoticed, and that it continues to have an impact on the development of Guyana. I know this would have been her deepest wish.
Her demise came as a shock to all. Ms Kumar will be remembered for many contributions ‒ in academia, in the cultural and creative fields and later in the political arena. Her exuberance and simplicity encouraged those who came into contact with her to be steadfast and relentless under pressure and to be hopeful while working to achieve better goals.
In Hampton Court, Essequibo Coast, she married Phillip Kumar, who incidentally was also a young teacher stationed at Hampton Court, and they raised two daughters.
In her own indomitable style, she touched the lives of those who worked or associated with her in some way.
Yours faithfully,
Mohamed Khan
Former Deputy Mayor
