By Sue-Ann Wayow
TRINIDAD and Tobago has lost one of its brightest and most appreciative sons of the soil – Professor Selwyn Ryan
Political scientist, historian and author, Professor Ryan passed away on Saturday night. He was 86.
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley posted on Facebook, “With the passing of Prof Selwyn Ryan, the nation turns its lonely eyes to a future without one of its brightest and most appreciative sons. He educated us, he guided us, he helped us to appreciate each other and love the land we live in and the many legacies bestowed upon us by an ancestry so complex and strong.”
He continued, “We are poorer but hopefully stronger for his efforts. Our deepest and sincerest condolences go out to his wife Jan, his family and professional associates and to all of Trinidad and Tobago, the nation he loved and contributed so much to, both as a scholar and a participant of the simple life which we live, from Carnival to election nights.”
Professor Ryan graduated with a BA in History from the University of Toronto (1960) and a PhD in Political Science from Cornell University (1966). He was Professor Emeritus at the University of the West Indies (UWI) St Augustine Campus and wrote over 25 books. He was also a pollster who conducted the SARA polls for the Express newspaper and was a columnist.
An elder statesman and distinguished veteran
Public Relations Officer for the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) Dr Kirk Meighoo also issued a statement on Ryan’s passing.
As a political scientist himself, Dr Meighoo said it was his duty and an honour to pay respects to Professor Ryan who was an elder statesman and distinguished veteran in the profession.
He said, “Professor Ryan left an invaluable chronicle of our political development through the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s even if some of us were often vexed by his interpretations. He took it upon himself to document and chronicle political history as it happened. For that civilisational task of leaving a written record of our past, for future generations to ponder, learn from, and debate, Selwyn Ryan must be highly honoured. Sadly, no one has taken up the baton that he has left with his passing.”
Dr Meighoo admitted to disagreeing quite a bit with Professor Ryan but continued to maintain a relationship of respect.
“To be frank, we disagreed on quite a bit. In fact, my PhD work was a direct challenge to his. I became aligned with Lloyd Best on that side of the debate on how best to understand our politics and sociology. For many years, Professor Ryan and I were printed side by side in the Sunday newspapers, presenting our differing views of current political developments.
“Yet, despite our sometimes deep philosophical and academic differences, we were able to have a personal relationship of respect and collegiality. The respect he had for profound differences of opinion is the mark of a true professional, dedicated to his craft and devoted to the discipline. He knew that intellectual debate is crucial to the development of one’s own civilisation. This understanding, sadly, appears to be lost in today’s cancel culture.”
“Even if we didn’t always agree with our predecessors, we knew and respected what they said and thought,” he said.
“The passing of Professor Ryan represents the passing of a crucially important generation, the generation of my teachers and mentors who lived through and observed both Independence and Black Power. Though inevitable, it is sad. I hope that the following generations will pick up where he and his colleagues left off. I will do what I can to help that happen, in honour of Professor Ryan, who stood high among them all,” Dr Meighoo said.
Campus was home away from home
UWI, St Augustine Campus in a release on Sunday said Professor Ryan spent much of his time at the campus.
His last book, “Ryan Recalls- Selwyn Ryan: His Memoirs” was launched on October 30, 2019. He was accompanied by his wife Jan Ryan.
Professor Ryan explained then that the idea for a memoir came after his daughter remarked that he wrote about everyone except himself.
“I began seriously thinking about my memoirs just after the launch of my last book in September 2016 when I first began to suspect that something was amiss with my health and began writing it then,” he said then.
The Selwyn Ryan collection was also launched, donated by the professor himself.
The collection draws from Professor Ryan’s early life, at home and abroad, and includes papers and columns on political issues and manuscripts. Among the manuscripts are The First Citizens Bank Story; Dr Eric Williams: The Making of a Prime Minister; From Colonial to Republic: A History of Barclays Bank in Trinidad and Tobago from 1837-1981; and Conversations with Gerard Montano, former Cabinet Minister. The collection also highlights issues on Africa, milestones and cherished moments.
At that launch, he urged, “Younger academics may pick up where I left off and continue the discourse. An academic’s work is never finished. I urge the younger ones to write, and record our history. Never compromise on what is right.”
Pro Vice Chancellor and Campus Principal Brian Copeland remembered Professor Ryan’s desire at his last book launch.
Professor Copeland stated, “We can pay no greater tribute to a man who has done so much for country and region than by fulfilling his most earnest desire. Students and graduates of The UWI will continue as succeeding generations have done for the last 75 years, to advance learning, create knowledge, and foster innovation for the positive and sustainable transformation of this Region and, indeed, the wider world.”
Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Dr Acolla Lewis-Cameron, also remembered Professor Ryan’s passion for Caribbean development.
