Message Board Archives

T&T mourns the lost of a son...Reginald Dumas

The Trinidad and Tobago Transparency Institute (TTTI) has hailed Reginald Dumas as "a gentleman, a scholar, a mentor and a true friend to all who crossed his path."

In a statement on Friday, TTTI said, "He contributed tirelessly to promoting good governance, accountability and transparency in Trinidad and Tobago. The fight against corruption was real and dear to the heart of Mr. Dumas. He was a vocal advocate against corruption and unflinchingly stood for integrity, probity and rectitude. In our small island state when controversy raged, Mr. Dumas stepped in with an astute, cool, sane rational voice of wisdom."

Up to his passing, TTTI says Dumas remained a champion and stalwart for the Transparency Movement.

Trini Comments:

Rawlston Gonourie

Reggie Dumas, another one of a dying breed has left us, but not before leaving a long legacy of achievements throughout his life. He was one of those renowned scholars from the old QRC where he won an island scholarship. It was a tremendous pleasure and delight to have known him and to have had some interesting conversations with him. In spite of his high positions, he was quite down to earth, had none of those snooty airs of many and of his peers and was an engaging personality, very affable, pleasant and easy to converse with. I often wondered why successive Governments did not see fit to engage his services during his long period of retirement. But I think I know why. His impeccable integrity, his strong principles, his independent mind, among other uncompromising attributes. T&T and the Region have suffered a great loss with his passing. My sincerest condolences to his family and friends. RIP.

Reggie Dumas was one of our early career diplomats who formed a cadre of West Indian diplomats who served in the Federal Government and on the dissolution of the West Indian Federation became our first diplomats when T&T became independent. There were others from that group, including Eustace Seignoret, Frank Abdulah, Wilfred Naimool and a buffoon by the name of Victor McIntyre. The sole survivor of that lot is Frank Abdulah. Lutchman was the only one with diplomatic experience, having served as a Vice-Consul at the British Embassy. y, Caracas. He also had a fine mind and talking to him you could sense a brain ticking, especially after a couple drinks. In 1962, they all served under politicians whom Williams wished to banish abroad: These included Learie Constantine, Andrew Rose, Patrick Solomon, Donald Granado, pseudo-politician Ellis Clarke and as the number of missions expanded you had people like Isabel Teshea, Matthew Ramcharan, Carl Tull, Ashford Sinanan and others appointed to Ambassadorial positions. Gradually, more and more career foreign service officers headed foreign missions. Later on there was a mix of politically appointed career diplomats as Heads of Mission. Reggie Dumas who served at different levels at various missions until he was appointed as Ambassador to Ethiopia after serving as minister counsellor in Washington. He figuratively stood tall among his peers.