The T&T Chamber of Industry and Commerce has expressed its sadness over the passing of Dr Anthony N Sabga, Chairman Emeritus of the ANSA McAL Group.
In a release yesterday, T&T’s leading business chamber said it was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Sabga, businessman extraordinaire and patriarch of the Sabga family of T&T.
The chamber pointed out that he was born in Syria in 1923 and arrived in Trinidad with his family in 1930. At just 14 years of age, he joined the family business on Queen Street, Port-of-Spain, marking the beginning of his long and stellar career.
Known for his sharp mind and business acumen, the chamber said Sabga played a pivotal role in several areas of national life.
“His entrepreneurial ventures encompassed manufacturing, retail, agro-processing and more. He founded ANSA Industries in the immediate post-Independence era, working at that time with licensing arrangements from large international corporations to manufacture stoves, refrigerators and other electrical appliances. These were exported to other islands in the years before CARICOM was established.”
The chamber also recognised that Sabga founded Standard Distributors, a household name for decades.
The chamber also drew a parallel between today’s recession and the deep recession of the 1980s and said Sabga was proactive in combating that economic downturn.
“Dr Sabga’s response to economic and structural adjustment challenges of the 1980s was to expand and invest in local enterprise. Through the acquisition of the McEnearney Alston’s Group, ANSA McAL was birthed and today stands as one of the strongest publicly traded companies on the local stock exchange, with a wide regional presence.”
Apart from his business successes, the chamber said he was well known for his philanthropic work. “Most notable among them, the Anthony N Sabga Caribbean Awards for Excellence (ANSCAFE)—a leading recognition programme in arts, sciences and public and civic work launched in October 2005.”
T&T Chamber CEO Gabriel Faria said Sabga’s work ethic was beyond reproach.
“His passion and commitment to doing what he loved most never waned… even in his post-retirement years and that, to me, was one of his most outstanding qualities… one that is well worth emulating, if we would like to be as productive as he was,” Faria said.
Among the many awards and accolades, a Doctor of Laws Degree, Honoris Causa was conferred upon Sabga in 1998 by the University of the West Indies. In 2008, he was also inducted into the T&T Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s Business Hall of Fame in recognition of a lifetime of excellence in business.
Exemplary citizen—ECA
The Employers Consultative Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ECA) meanwhile said it was deeply saddened to learn of Sabga’s passing.
In a release yesterday, the ECA said T&T had lost an exemplary citizen.
“He was a true visionary, entrepreneur and a distinguished leader who made sterling contributions to the development of business and entrepreneurship in our nation and the wider Caribbean region.”
The ECA said Sabga’s distinctive transformation of his simple beginnings and modest resources into an immutable legacy “certainly teaches the country that we should not allow ourselves to be defined by our circumstances.”
It added: “Rather, it is our imagination, determination and dignified response to life’s challenges that will ultimately influence our success.”
The ECA said it stands with the national community in extending its heartfelt condolences to the family, colleagues and employees of Sabga in this very difficult time.
