Slain special prosecutor Dana Saroop Seetahal will be given a heroine’s send-off at today’s funeral which features a host of tributes, including one from President Anthony Carmona and a song by soca star Machel Montano, one of her clients. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is also expected to do a scripture reading. Representatives of the Parliament and the legal fraternity will also deliver tributes. This was confirmed from the programme of today’s service of comfort in remembrance of Seetahal’s life and work.
Seetahal was assassinated early last Sunday morning, en route to her One Woodbrook Place apartment. She was ambushed by culprits who shot her five times, killing her on the spot on Hamilton Holder Street near the Woodbrook Youth Facility. She died two months before her 59th birthday. Today’s service takes place at 5 pm at the Aramalaya Presbyterian Church, Tunapuna. It is expected to last 90 minutes approximately. Heavy security is planned and tight restrictions will be in force for the media.
T&T Guardian understands other venues beside the 400-seat church were considered but it was chosen since it was the family church, which Seetahal attended as a youth. The funeral cortege will leave for the church from Seetahal’s family home at El Dorado Village, Tunapuna. The PM, Cabinet members, Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley and a PNM delegation, past and present Independent senators, various political figures and members of the Judiciary, legal fraternity and law enforcement agencies will attend the service.
Also expected to be present are representatives of academia, the arts, non-governmental and other organisations. Worship will be led by the Rev Adrian Sieunarine, Aramalaya’s parish priest. The sermon will be delivered by former Independent senator Rev Daniel Teelucksingh who has known Seetahal and her siblings for years. Teelucksingh, still deeply in shock at the murder, said yesterday: “It is something I never would have dreamed I would have to do, Dana’s funeral service.”
In memory of Seetahal, the legal fraternity also will hold a candlelight vigil on the steps of the Hall of Justice tomorrow.
Order of service
President Carmona, a former judge, is scheduled to give the first of several other tributes on the funeral programme. Other tributes will be delivered by Seetahal’s legal colleagues: Attorney Merlin Boyce, of Seetahal’s law-school days; attorney Rikki Harnanan and Justice Mark Mohammed. Paying tribute on behalf of the Parliament will be the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Jacqui Sampson-Meiguel.
The eulogy will be delivered by Seetahal’s sister Susan Francois, Financial Intelligence Unit head. Soca star Montano’s performance comes halfway through the programme. A representative for Montano said Seetahal family members asked him to participate. Montano went to the scene of the murder last Sunday, weeping at the site. His contribution today is planned to be “a plain, simple heartfelt” tribute.
That will be followed by a reading of Psalm 23, The Lord is My Shepherd. Seetahal’s brother-in-law, Dr Trevor Teemul, and niece Dr Janine Seetahal, will also deliver scripture readings. Other nieces and nephews — Dr Antal Teemul, Danielle Francois, Sathyam Seetahal, Melissa Persad, Dr Lendl Seetahal, Philippe Francois and Leanna Seetahal — will pay tribute and share the family’s feelings. A mantra will be delivered by Pundit Randhir Maharaj.
Hymns to be sung include One Day at a Time and Blessed Assurance. A song will also be sung by a representative of Bishop Anstey High School, Seetahal’s alma mater. After the service, Seetahal will be cremated at Belgrove’s funeral home, Tacarigua.
Tributes at her wake
Since Monday, many have attended wakes at the family’s Tunapuna home. At Tuesday’s wake, the Rev Sieunarine said Seetahal was one of those whom people took to their homes and hearts forever and as a nation T&T was crying. He said on the eve of Mother’s Day, people would also be thinking about what Seetahal did to hold everyone together and citizens would be thinking about how they remembered her... “as someone, who when she left you, your home and life was different.
“She could bring welcome, a new kind of value, a simplicity, a blessing, charisma, a dynamism... something that was a kind of energy when your heart touched hers,” Sieunarine said. He said Seetahal recently attended a service where she received an award for attending Sunday school 50 years ago and many also remembered her attending the Tunapuna Presbyterian School.
He said T&T and society were much different then.