Reepu Daman Persaud dies

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 21:02 by GxMedia

Reepu Daman Persaud

Veteran politician and one of Guyana’s longest serving politicians, Reepu Daman Persaud died on Sunday, according to well-placed sources.

He was 77.

Hospital sources said he was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH)-based Caribbean Heart Institute (CHI) late Saturday night.

Persaud, a well-respected Pandit, passed away shortly after 1 AM Sunday. Moments before, he was visited by President Donald Ramotar.

He had been ailing for some time with Parkinson ’s disease.

Persaud served as Minister of Agriculture and Parliamentary Affairs until he bowed out of active politics about seven years ago due to poor health.

Nevertheless, he continued to be a member of the Central Committee of the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP), a position he held for more than 50 years.

“He managed to skilfully blend religious and cultural needs to the needs of the whole country and brought it to be part of the general movement that eventually brought freedom to Guyana…our second Independence in October 1992…if we forget those days we will be at peril,” President Donald Ramotar said one year ago at a special birthday ceremony by the Dharmic Sabha in honour of Persaud.

Persaud and former leader of the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR), Robert Corbin were in July 2012 honoured by the National Assembly for their 41 and 38 years service respectively as parliamentarians.

Persaud served as Chief Whip, Deputy Speaker, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Chairman of the Constitution Reform Select Committee and Leader of the House and, over a 14-year span, Vice- President, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs.