President Anthony Carmona said last night that while Nelson Mandela may best be remembered for the “decisive role he played in the fight against apartheid, it was his ability to understand and to love unreservedly that we should all strive to emulate.” Carmona said he and his wife, Reema, were deeply saddened by the passing of Mandela, a giant of a man who exemplified the enduring strength of the human spirit. “He was a humanitarian and a treasure to all mankind,” Carmona said in a statement.
The President said the thoughts and prayers of all citizens of T&T go out to Mandela’s family and friends and to the people of South Africa during this difficult time. Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley, meanwhile, said T&T will do well to hope and pray that present and future leaders here in T&T and the world would strive to emulate Mandela’s sterling example and be instruments of peace, harmony and positive development for all those who look to them for leadership.
“As we face this loss, we cannot help but reflect on the calibre of leadership demonstrated by Nelson Mandela.” On a more philosophical note, Rowley said upon hearing of Mandela’s passing, he realised it took as much courage to live, as to die. “I have heard it said it takes much more courage to live than to die. Today, on hearing of the passing of former president of South Africa Mr Nelson Mandela, I reflected on this saying.
“And I almost immediately realised that for an extraordinary man like him, for whom courage was virtually a way of life and whose courage changed South Africa and indeed the whole world forever, it would take just as much courage to die as it would have taken to live.” Rowley said the world has become poorer as a result of the passing of Mandela, whom he described as “an iconic leader and freedom fighter.” On behalf of the leadership and members of the PNM, he expressed condolences to the Mandela family and South Africa.
Congress of the People (COP) leader Prakash Ramadhar said Mandela was a global symbol of moral authority, sacrifice and humility and extended condolences to his family with immense regret and an overwhelming sense of indebtedness. He said from today until Mandela’s funeral, the flags at the COP’s Flagship House will be flown at half-mast as a mark of respect and honour for Mandela.
“Mr Mandela’s life was the epitome of struggle against injustice, inequality and racial discrimination. He sacrificed his and his family's freedom for the freedom of others, demonstrating that one man can make a profound difference,” he said.