National unity requires leadership that extends beyond politics – Pres Ali 

…as PNC’s Robert Corbin hailed for parliamentary, political contributions at funeral service

The funeral service of former Opposition Leader and Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Robert Corbin, was held on Thursday, during which family members, party members, and other political leaders reflected on his political leadership and contributions.

Among those paying tribute was President Dr Irfaan Ali, who noted that Corbin’s political career is a stark reminder of the important responsibility that Members of Parliament hold and their role in fostering national unity.
“For me, Corbin’s enduring significance lies in the combination of persistence and his own political convictions. His career reminds us that Parliament is strengthened when its members take their responsibilities seriously, that national unity requires more than the absence of open conflict, and that the test of political leadership extends beyond the fortunes of a party,” Ali stated as he delivered remarks on behalf of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).
According to the President, Corbin devoted a substantial portion of his life not just to the PNCR but to Parliament and was one of the shrewdest and most seasoned parliamentarians of his generation.

Having shared a seat on the opposite side of the aisle, Ali recalled Corbin as a formidable political rival whose contributions to debates in the House were always interesting. He added that the then Opposition Leader was a fierce advocate for matters affecting the lives, security, and livelihoods of Guyanese.
“I remember Robert Corbin as a forceful debater. He came well-prepared for his interventions in the National Assembly. He was capable of presenting an argument with persistence, challenging the Government and insisting that matters he considered important should receive the attention of the House…”
“Robert Corbin understood the rough-and-tumble of parliamentary politics, but his record also demonstrated that political rivalry need not extinguish the possibility of mutual respect. He was a man with whom one could disagree profoundly and whose contributions one could nevertheless acknowledge,” the Head of State noted.
In fact, Ali noted that Corbin held no personal animosity, recalling him being witty and friendly to his parliamentary opponents outside the Chamber.
Moreover, Ali recalled that the former PNC Leader was also a firm believer in national harmony as well as national reconciliation and shared governance – something which the Guyanese Leader called for parties to work on achieving.
“The aspirations he championed remain unfinished business… I believe we have arrived at a defining moment in our history – a moment when our collective effort can give shape to a national vision that finally fulfils the dream of 1950. The time has come for a conversation about the course we must chart together so that we may build a nation in which we stand taller, stronger, and more united,” the President emphasised.
Influential politician

Also paying tribute at Thursday’s funeral service, which was held at St Andrew’s Kirk, was current leader of the Party Aubrey Norton, who was a neighbour of Corbin’s in Christianburg, Linden, and worked together for decades in the party.

In fact, Norton credited the start of his political career to Corbin, who recruited him into the PNC’s Young Socialist Movement (YSM) – the party’s youth arm. He said that while serving at the helm of the YSM, Corbin positively impacted the lives of thousands of young people.
According to Norton, Corbin was an influential politician who contributed significantly to the party as well as to Guyana, especially through his role in the unity talks between the PPP and PNC in 1976.
He believes that it was his involvement in those unity talks, among other things, that drove Corbin’s belief in coalition politics.
“Robert was very influential… Our party and our country have lost one of the most loyal soldiers you can find. Loyalty was both his strength and weakness… For us, Robert Corbin was loyal. For us, he was hard-working. For us, he was a mentor. For us, he was the ideal PNC person. For us, we have lost a stalwart who served with a selflessness that makes him irreplaceable,” Norton stated.
Tributes were also made by other PNC officials, including Executive Member Lurlene Nestor, leaders from other political parties, and a number of his family members and friends.
Following the tribute and funeral service, Corbin’s body was cremated at the Kaashi Dhaam Crematorium, West Coast Demerara. The committal and interment of his ashes will be done in Christianburg, Linden, today, Friday.
Robert Herman Orlando Corbin, a recipient of the Cacique Crown of Honour – Guyana’s second-highest national award in the Order of Service – died at the age of 78 at a city hospital on October 4 after a prolonged illness.
He was elected to the National Assembly in the 1970s and served as the PNCR leader from 2002 to 2012, as well as a Government Minister and a Deputy Prime Minister under successive PNCR Governments between 1977 and 1992.