Guyana Govt expresses condolences on passing of former T&T President

The Ministry of the Presidency has conveyed on behalf of the President, Government and people of Guyana, its deepest condolences to the President, Government and people of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, on the passing of former President, Professor George Maxwell Richards.
Guyana, along with the people of Trinidad and Caricom, mourns the loss of a distinguished son, who, during his two terms as President, helped to advance the cause of the integration movement.
A chemical engineer and Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Professor Richards will be remembered for, among other things, his renowned contributions that lifted the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of the West Indies (UWI), to international standards.
News reports out of Trinidad stated that 86-year-old Richards passed away at the West Shore Medical Centre on Monday night. Richards served as President of Trinidad and Tobago from March 7, 2003 to March 17, 2013. According to the T&T Newsday newspaper, he was a former principal of the University of the West Indies St Augustine Campus. He was married to Dr Jean Ramjohn Richards and had two children, Maxine and Mark.
Reacting to the news of Richards’ passing, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young extended deepest condolences to Richards’ family on behalf of the Government and his own family’s behalf.
“Our prayers are with the family,” Young said. “We thank him and his family for his many years of service.”
T&T’s Opposition Chief Whip David Lee extended the Opposition’s condolences to Richards’ family. Lee said it was “sad and ironic” that earlier in the day, Government and the Opposition co-signed the nomination paper for retired Court of Appeal Judge Paula Mae Weekes to become T&T’s next President. He said it was with “a heavy heart” that the country was learning of Richards’ passing. Lee said Richards served his country in good standing as President and in academia.