Government, Opposition and President of the Senate Timothy Hamel-Smith paid tribute to the late former independent Senator Michael Mansoor yesterday.
He died of cancer on November 11 after being ill for some time. Government Senator Bhoe Tewarie said the country had lost a loyal son and dedicated citizen in Mansoor. “He always conducted himself with dignity and decorum, just as he always anchored his presentations to this honourable House in substance,” Tewarie said.
He added Mansoor was a doer and a high achiever who tended to be task-oriented and set high standards for himself and others. He said he was a man who was about family but also spoke about the country, about productivity, harnessing of talent and higher national objectives.
Opposition Senator Camille Robinson-Regis, who served in the Senate during Mansoor’s tenure, said he was more than an Independent Senator and businessman. “He was much bigger than that. What really captivates me about Michael Mansoor is that I remember him as being someone whose leadership style was calm and pragmatic and as a younger senator he was someone from the
Independent bench that we could look to for leadership, calm and pragmatism.”
She said Mansoor was a good template for young men and women to look up to. “In addition,” she said, “Michael Mansoor influenced not only this space but other spaces in T&T and in the Caribbean region.”
Independent Senator Helen Drayton said he was a man of humility and compassion and was a lover of Carnival, playing mas, pan and collecting local and Caribbean art.
Hamel-Smith said Mansoor lived a life of dedicated service. He added: “Michael was one of the most honourable, ethical and distinguished gentlemen with whom I had the pleasure of working.
“He was a true patriot of T&T. All of his efforts were dedicated to the development of institutions and people of T&T.”