By Prior Beharry
FORMER government minister under the People’s Partnership Fazal Karim has passed away. He was 70 and had been ailing with cancer.
He was appointed minister of science technology and tertiary education by Kamla Persad-Bissessar who in a Facebook post on Monday said Karim made great strides in critical spheres of national development.
She said, “It is with deep sorrow that I learned of the passing of former Minister and MP Fazal Karim.
“Fazal will be remembered for the great strides he made in several critical spheres of national development particularly in tertiary education.
“He was well loved and Trinidad and Tobago is indeed poorer to have lost a patriotic son. I extend my condolences on behalf of our great party to his dear family and loved ones during this most difficult time.”
Another United National Congress (UNC) colleague and Oropouche West MP Davendranath Tancoo said, “I regret to advise of the passing of Mr Fazal Karim, former Minister of Science and Tertiary Education and former General Secretary of the United National Congress. May the Lord grant his family Sabr and reward him and them, with Khair both in this world and the next.
Karim was also the MP for Chaguanas East from 2010 to 2015.
Another minister under the PP, Kevin Ramnarine said, “I served in the Senate with Fazal for five years, and we were also Cabinet colleagues. In his time in government, he was an excellent minister of tertiary education who made many advances in that sector, including the aviation campus in Camden, Couva. He also believed in the decentralization of the Government and led the building of the now administrative building on the Narsaloo Ramaya Road in Chaguanas.
“He was also an excellent general secretary of the UNC and also worked closely with former prime minister Panday in organising the Couva North constituency. I send my condolences to his wife, Pastor Judy Karim, and his children. Trinidad and Tobago has lost a great son, a great educator and a patriot.”
Another of his colleagues Devant Maharaj, who now resides in Canada, said Karim was cast aside by Persad-Bissessar and this led to her defeat in the polls.
He said, “I express condolences to the family of my former cabinet colleague Fazal Karim. He was a leader in the field of tertiary education and a pioneer in many areas. A measured debater and a minister with a keen eye for detail. Faz and I worked closely together to bring the Woodford Lodge Farmers Market into fruition.
“Faz also was one of the many UNC stalwarts those cast aside by the Kamla-led UNC and as a consequence factored in the defeat of the UNC at the polls.”
Also expressing condolences was National Transformation Alliance leader Gary Griffith. He said, “I recall working closely with Mr Karim during our time in the cabinet when I served as minister of national security. Fazal Karim was someone who I admired for his professionalism and dedication to public service. Even in the last few months, since the formation of the NTA, Mr Karim continued to offer his full support and encouragement, understanding the transformative impact the NTA aims to make in uniting our country.”
Ken Emrith, one of Karim’s former UNC colleagues said, “You were the best of the best. T&T has lost a true Patriot.”
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