00:00Prime Minister Kamala Passat-Bissasa joins others on the national landscape in expressing sorrow
00:06on the passing of Independent Senator Darup Timal, who was also President of the National Council of Indian Culture.
00:13She expressed condolences to his wife Gita, their two daughters Priya and Kajal,
00:18the wider Timal family, the NCIC fraternity and all who valued his friendship and counsel.
00:25Passat-Bissasa says Timal served his culture and country with distinction for more than two decades.
00:32As President of the National Council of Indian Culture and as Senior Organizer of the Diwali Nagar,
00:38she says he championed the preservation and celebration of Indo-Trinidadian heritage,
00:44fostering mutual respect across our diverse society.
00:47And in the Senate, Passat-Bissasa says his measured analyses, courtesy and steadfast commitment to the public good
00:55earned him universal respect.
00:58In the many interactions she shared with him, Passat-Bissasa says he was invariably warm and cordial,
01:04adding, quote,
01:05his gracious demeanor and attentive air promoted genuine dialogue
01:09and strengthened the spirit of cooperation essential to effective public service, end quote.
01:15The Prime Minister called his passing a tremendous loss to the Indo-Trinidadian cultural community
01:21and the nation as a whole.
01:23Yet his work, she said, profoundly patriotic and grounded in public service will endure,
01:30inspiring present and future generations to honor their heritage
01:34and serve Trinidad and Tobago with the same devotion.
01:38Meanwhile, in tribute to Timal, his colleague on the independent bench,
01:42Anthony Vieira, Senior Counsel, penned a statement saying, quote,
01:45As independent senators, we are not combatants in a political war.
01:49We are not there to defeat opponents, but to explore ideas, to facilitate dialogue
01:54and to deliberate with integrity on the pressing issues of the day, end quote.
01:59He says Timal understood that the Senate is meant to be a safe and honorable space,
02:05a chamber of sober reflection, where members of Parliament can speak freely,
02:10question boldly and decide wisely.
02:12Not only that, but he said Timal honored and embodied those tenets.
02:18He called his late colleague a senator par excellence,
02:22a patriot in the truest sense of the word, and a man of uncommon decency.
02:27Vieira says the country has lost a quiet statesman, a principled voice,
02:32and a deeply honorable citizen.
02:34However, Vieira's tribute drew criticism from the United National Congress.
02:38The party issued a strongly worded rebuttal, labelling the statement, quote, unquote,
02:43tasteless, self-serving, and offensive.
02:46Party PRO Kirk Magoo writes that, quote,
02:49Senator Vieira shamefully used this occasion of mourning as a platform to needlessly
02:54deepen political division and advance his personal political vendetta and narrative, end quote.
03:00Party PRO Kirk Magoo writes that, quote,
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