Former Guyana High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago and one-time Chairman of the People’s National Congress (PNC), Bishwaishwar ‘Cammie’ Ramsaroop has died.
Stabroek News understands that the 81-year-old former teacher died yesterday in New York, USA following a period of illness.
In a statement, the PNCR said that in addition to serving on several boards and commissions from 1964, Ramsaroop was appointed as Minister of Housing and Reconstruction at the age of 30 years in 1969 and, later, as Minister of Trade and a Vice-President from 1980 to 1984. Most recently he was the country’s first and only resident High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago.
Within the party, Ramsaroop served as Chairman from 2009 to 2012.
“The Party recognizes and records its appreciation for his spirited campaigning and valuable contribution to its political evolution and to national development in the early days of the Republic,” the statement said.
Also expressing condolences was Leader of the Opposition Joseph Harmon who described Ramsaroop as a role model to many.
“Cammie commanded wide respect across Guyana and across the political divide. He was an eloquent speaker, a leader in the Hindu community and an avid supporter and lover of softball cricket. He remained committed to serving the people of Guyana until his last days,” Harmon said in a statement.
The PNCR also added that the former High Commissioner was a devout, Hindi-literate Hindu and a patriotic Guyanese whose wide cultural, political, social and religious influence contributed greatly to the Party’s philosophy of social cohesion.
Political colleague and former Prime Minister Hamilton Green told Stabroek News that he knew Ramsaroop from childhood within the Albouystown community. He said that they deve-loped a close personal relation-ship anchored by the fact that their families did a lot of work in the neighbourhood which at that time was a mixture of all ethnic groups in Guyana.
“He was best known for his delicate use of the English language in all of his deliveries whether in a political meeting or in parliament…he was a patriot wedded to the concept of unity particularly among the two major ethnic groups and was uncompromising as he sought with (Forbes) Burnham and others to correct the ravages and scars of our colonial experience and of a destructive divide and rule policy. I offer my condolences to his family,” Green explained, adding that he will miss the man who while resident in Trinidad was in close contact with Green’s wife, a medical practitioner serving that country at the same time.
Ramsaroop is survived by his wife Florence and three daughters.
