Nation bids farewell to veteran trade unionist, Komal Chand

 Jul 29, 2020  News 0 Comments

By Shervin Belgrave

Scores of persons turned up yesterday at the home of a veteran trade unionist and Member of Parliament, the late Komal Chand, to pay their last respects and bid him farewell.

The late Komal Chand

Chand, 75, accompanied by his wife Rukhmin had travelled to Havana, Cuba in February to seek medical attention. In April while receiving treatment for pneumonia in one of the medical facilities there, he passed away. With approval from the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF), Chand’s body returned to Guyana on Friday last. A memorial service was planned and held yesterday at his La Grange, West Bank Demerara (WBD) home to celebrate and remember his life as a trade unionist, politician and father.
In attendance were many trade unionists, party comrades, parliamentarians and the Cuban Ambassador to Guyana who all gave tributes, remembering his dedication to Guyana.
Chand was remembered for his simplicity and kindness by the Region Three Chairman, Julius Faerber. The Cuban Ambassador, His Excellency, Narcisco Reinaldo Armador Socorro, labelled him a loyal friend of Cuba. Socorro described him as a genuine Guyanese fighter who fought for justice and defended the rights of workers.
Former President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Donald Ramotar, shared fond memories of his 50-year-old friendship with Chand and

The Memorial Service for veteran trade unionist

said that he was humble and very dedicated.
Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs, recalled how Chand had changed his view of politicians, in the sense that they can be “nice people”. He spoke of the motivational talks he had received from the late parliamentarian during difficult times. “I would remember times when I would be saddened from being bashed by the newspapers or when I find myself in trouble, Chand would say don’t take it on, let it pass,” said Isaacs.
Isaacs also reminded the attendees of Chand’s 32 fiery debates and 25 years of tremendous contribution to the National Assembly of Guyana, which made him an outstanding Guyanese.
Also paying tribute to the great son of the soil was the President of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG), Carvil Duncan, who reminded trade unionists to carry on Chand’s fight for unison between unions.
General Secretary, of the Guyana Rice Producers Association (GRPA), Dharam Kumar Seeraj, spoke of how Chand impacted the lives of thousands, especially those in the agriculture sector.

Komal Chand’s body being cremated

This was followed up by a final tribute made by the General Secretary of the Guyana Sugar Workers Union (GAWU), Seepaul Narine.
Narine gave him titles of the great organizer, a wonderful advisor and a motivator. He commended Chand for his years of dedicated service to GAWU and other sectors. Finally, Narine labelled the late Chand as a “world voice” for workers.
Before wrapping up the farewell service, Mavendra Chand, son of the late trade unionist, shared a brief history of his illustrious life.
“Daddy”, he said, “was born on the 29th of October 1941. He began his education at the St. Thomas Anglican Primary School in La Grange and completed his secondary education at the Muslim Education Trust College in Georgetown.”
He was later introduced and started his political career in 1961, his son revealed. To enhance his career, he traveled to Russia where he studied political science for a while before returning to Guyana in 1973 to assume a key position in the PPP. Two years later, Chand joined GAWU as the union’s organizing secretary and eventually became its president. While working with the GAWU, Chand met his wife and decided to start a

Scores that turned out to pay their last respects

family in the early 1980s. With a wealth of experience as a PPP executive and a successful trade unionist, he was appointed Member of Parliament (MP) in 1992 and awarded the Cacique Crown of Honour in 1994. Chand spent the rest of his life as a dedicated politician and served as Member of the National Assembly until it was dissolved in 2019. Mavendra ended by expressing gratitude to the attendees.
Chand’s body was then taken to the Kaashi Daam Crematorium at Ruimzeight, West Coast Demerara where it was cremated.