By Prior Beharry
THE late Professor Selwyn Ryan had his own “inward hunger” to write and publish.
Making clear reference to the autobiography of Trinidad and Tobago’s first prime minister Dr Eric Williams, Inward Hunger, the Education of a Prime Minister, Dr Roy McCree eulogised Ryan as an intellectual and the product of a particular historical and political conjuncture.
Mourners observed Covid-19 protocols at the St Finbar’s Roman Catholic Church at Morne Coco Road in Diego Martin where the funeral of Ryan took place on Friday. He died on March 12, after suffering from Parkinson’s disease. He was 85.
Fr Carlyle Fortune conducted the service that included a tribute by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley.
At one point in the eulogy, Dr McCree paused holding back tears.
He said, “It was in Princes Town where the late Prof Selwyn Vere Ryan was born and Naparima College which he attended that would have first exposed him to what became one of the defining features of his scholarship – the problématique of our racial and ethnic diversity.”
“He also came of age during a period of socio-political ferment after World War Two when issues of nationalism, self-government, constitutional reform, independence and decolonisation entered a new stage of their history.
Dr McCree said this period had also seen the emergence of Eric Williams and the PNM as political forces in society.
And in 1956 when the PNM was formed, Ryan at 20-years-old had entered the University of Toronto to do his first degree followed by his PhD at Cornell in 1965.
“In his autobiography, he admits that Williams played a major role in his political and educational development.
“Such was his fascination with Williams that, in 2009, he published a book amounting to among 900 pages on Willimas alone.
“Who publishes a book amounting to 900 pages and focusing mainly on one person – Professor Selwyn Ryan.”
He said this was one of 20 books by Ryan written between 1988 and 2016 excluding his 2019 autobiography.
Dr McCree said, “The late Selwyn Ryan clearly had his own ‘inward hunger’ to write and publish.”
He described Ryan as “super-prolific” belonging to an intellectual pantheon of the likes of Lloyd Best, Norman Girvan, George Beckford, Edward Kamau Brathwaite, MG Smith, Carl Stone, CY Thomas, Trevor Munroe, Anthony Bryan, Anthony Maingot, John La Guerre and Eddie Greene.
He said, “This was the intellectual pantheon to which he belonged. Arguably, they were all cut from the same intellectual cloth in spite of their disciplinary and other differences.
“With Eddie Greene, he pioneered political polling in the Caribbean which would remain one of his major legacies. His St Augustine Research Associates, known more popularly as SARA, was his polling agency and although he did not always get it right, it cannot detract from his formidable contribution to polling in the Caribbean.”
Dr McCree said Ryan may be most remembered for his Sunday newspaper columns which served to illustrate a delicate distinction between the personal, the professional and the political.
He said, “In his line of work, this was an occupational hazard. In this regard for instance, in spite of his early admiration of and support for Eric Williams, he became one of his staunchest critics.
“The same scenario played out with (ANR) Robinson and the NAR, (Patrick) Manning as well as the People’s Partnership. Ryan’s loyalty and commitment to the highest principles of scholarly endeavour were never for sale and could never have been bought.
“He had the testicular fortitude to take on anyone and he did.”
McCree described Ryan as a dreamer, husband, mentor, fete-lover, educator but importantly one who sought direction from God.
Carrying the casket were his son, Kwame Ryan, Nazir Khan, Kofi Boxill, Emile Elias, Dr Asad Mohammed, Alexander Swanson and retired Major General Ralph Brown.
Ryan’s wife Jan Bocas-Ryan of 40 years stood among family as Fr Fortune conducted the last rites.
In his tribute, Dr Rowley described Ryan as a brave and confident man.
Dr Rowely said, “Confident in some of the most delicate issues such as race, religion, class, ethnicity, especially in a place like Trinidad and Tobago.
“And was prepared to stand not on speculation, bias, prejudice or any similar shortcoming, but to stand on the basis of facts that he would in his research.
“As University of the West Indies researcher, he brought dignity and relevance to research in these areas.”
Dr Rowley said, “That quiet dignity of his personality allowed him to interact, research and to find the facts from and about the little man, to about the big man.”
The procession would conclude at the St James Crematorium. – with reporting by Chantalé Fletcher
