Dr Rupert Roopnarine dies at 83

Long standing member of the Working People’s Alliance, Dr Rupert Roopnarine, an academic, writer and parliamentarian passed away on Monday.
Born on January 31, 1943, in Georgetown, Roopnarine was educated at Queen’s College before pursuing higher studies at University of Cambridge and later earning a PhD in Comparative Literature from Cornell University. He lectured at the University of Guyana, as well as at Cornell and Columbia University.
A founding member and later co-leader of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), Roopnarine entered the Parliament of Guyana in the mid-1990s, serving in opposition and later in the APNU/AFC government. Following the APNU+AFC coalition’s victory in 2015, he was appointed Education Minister, before being reassigned in 2017 to head the Public Service Ministry. He was the author of The Sky’s Wild Noise: Selected Essays, a collection reflecting decades of engagement with Guyana’s political and cultural life.
President Dr Irfaan Ali, in a tribute following his passing described Roopnarine’s passing as a national loss, stating, “Guyana has lost a public figure of conscience.”
Acknowledging that they stood on different sides of the political aisle, the President reflected on Roopnarine’s role during the anti-dictatorship years.
“When the air itself seemed heavy with fear, he stood upright…He believed that education was the architecture of freedom, the patient building of minds capable of thought, dissent, and imagination… Across the political divide, he earned respect not by force of rhetoric, but by depth of character,” the Head of State said in a social media post.
Meanwhile, former Education Minister and current Local Government Minister, Priya Manickchand also paid tribute, describing Roopnarine’s service as layered and at times contentious.
“Rupert’s service and the manifestation of that love is complex and can appear confusing…” she stated, referencing political differences that existed between them. However, she emphasised his personal character.
“Nevertheless, he remained polite and courteous and a joy to speak with.”
Recalling the 2015 transition of government, she shared that Roopnarine carefully packed and returned her personal belongings left at the ministry, describing the gesture as “decent and a true reflection of who he was, a good, sensible, grounded and decent man.”
In its statement, the WPA called Roopnarine “a towering figure in Guyana’s post-colonial struggle for bread, justice, and freedom…” and said he “was unflinching in his belief that a better world is always possible.” The party underscored his long-standing advocacy for multiracial politics, declaring that “Dr Roopnarine embodied the principle of multiracialism…” and describing him as “the quintessential crusader for shared governance, power sharing, and a national government.” The WPA also highlighted his instrumental role in coalition-building efforts and in the wider movement that contributed to Guyana’s return to electoral democracy in 1992.