Dear Editor,
In his golden gift to the literary world the 12th century Persian poet, mathematician, astronomer and philosopher Omar Khayyam and author of “The Rubaiyat” wrote the following illuminating quatrain:-
Yon rising Moon that looks for us again
How oft hereafter will she wax and wane;
How oft hereafter rising look for us
Through this same Garden and for one in vain.
As I reflect on the gems of wisdom enshrined in that poetic and philosophical masterpiece I am reminded of the transience of time, the brevity of life and the certainty of death in this temporal life for it was only two days ago that I learned of the demise of Mr. Peter Winston Denny, the late envoy of Guyana to Jamaica, Russia and China who passed away in Guyana.
In that regard, I wish to convey my deepest condolences and that of my spouse Patricia and daughter Elizabeth to his siblings, relatives, friends and acquaintances on the passing of such a distinguished and noble personage for we still have and will always cherish the beautiful memories of him in China.
I served under his stewardship at the Embassy of the Republic of Guyana in China when he was the top envoy of that Mission during his entire tour of duty there. Ambassador Denny was a towering pillar of humility in the evergreen forest of humanity and is one of my most unforgettable characters.
He was an illustrious diplomat who represented Guyana with brilliance and dignity and displayed lavishly the luminous attributes of comity, pleasantness and professionalism in his interactions with the diplomatic community in Beijing, China and all those persons who were fortunate to have met him personally.
I recall, as if it were yesterday, an incident in which he had confidentially told me that there were certain forces in the Mission who were not in favour of us attending his Accreditation Ceremony at the Great Hall of the People but he insisted that notwithstanding the status of the home-based staff at the Embassy we were welcomed to be present at that auspicious occasion which was laced with pomp and pageantry associated with such a great event. It was on that occasion also that we were also honoured to have met the late President of the People’s Republic of China, Yang Shangkun, veteran politician and revolutionary figure.
In Shakespeare’s historical tragedy “Julius Caesar”, Brutus who in the words of Mark Anthony “was Caesar’s angel” remarked that:-
“But ‘tis a common proof that lowliness is young ambition’s ladder,
Where to the climber upwards turns his face;
But when he once attains the upmost round (rung)
He then unto the ladder turns his back,
Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees
By which he did ascend.”
The late Head of Mission Peter Winston Denny was one of those exceptional persons who “never scorned the base degrees” because he espoused the fact that the material idols of this world including power and wealth are all transitory and, therefore, he sincerely believed in treating everyone with honour and respect for he was above race, colour and creed – the chronic illnesses of this temporal world that continue to divide and destroy the human race.
Ambassador Denny loved dancing and good music and reminded me once at a social function at the Embassy that the love of music and dancing were inherited from his African ancestors who in the brutal era of slavery whenever they had a pastime expressed their sad sentiments in the “Rhythm and the Blues” and in dancing. Moreover, he was a sports enthusiast with an avid love for playing lawn tennis.
Though overwhelmed by sadness at his passing my heart is still flooded with the happy memories I have of my spouse, self and himself during some of our social visits to a few of the top discotheques in Beijing and at his farewell banquet hosted by the Chinese Foreign Ministry which are all occasions to reminisce on.
So farewell our beloved Ambassador, precious brother and dear friend as you graciously complete the arduous journey of this transient life.
Yours faithfully,
Andrew Zamal
Canada