Update: The funeralof journalist Sandra Chouthi will take place on Wednesday at 9.30 am at the HOM Bamboo Village, Valsayn thence for cremation at the Caroni site for noon.
T&T Guardian journalist and associate business editor Sandra Chouthi had a deep and passionate commitment to journalism.
This was something agreed upon by her friends, family and colleagues as they described her yesterday, following her death at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope.
Chouthi passed away shortly after 3 pm, having been warded at the hospital over the weekend for treatment related to her illness.
Chouthi, 49, had been living with cancer for some time.
Yesterday, colleagues across the media industry remembered her for her warm smile, loving spirit and willingness to help others.
Colleagues said Chouthi had all the qualities that made a good journalist: She was passionate, curious, thorough, helpful and had a love of writing.
Although she worked for the T&T Guardian for the past 13 years, Chouthi was a journalist for close to 30 years, starting at the Trinidad Express in 1984.
She left T&T for a few years to attend Ryerson University, before returning in 1989, where she continued at the Express and started working at the T&T Guardian in 2001 as a feature reporter.
Her brother Premnath yesterday confirmed numerous statements that journalism was her passion.
"She was destined to be a journalist. When she was in secondary school she would submit articles to the public opinion columns in the newspaper. She would clip them out whenever they were published and it was those articles that got her the job at the Express," Premnath said.
"She loved her job. Even when she was sick or had another family commitment she would make sure she put work first. She was committed and dedicated to her work.
"She was also committed and dedicated to people. Sandra would look for a poor child every August and purchase books and give to the parents. She donated clothes to homes and lived a simple life. She was very passionate about the environment," he added. Chief Editor of the Business Guardian, Anthony Wilson, said Chouthi would be remembered by her T&T Guardian colleagues as a gifted journalist and an engaging and creative editor, blessed with the ability to work quickly and accurately. "Sandra was a dedicated professional who worked long hours putting the Business Guardian to bed on Tuesday nights and Wednesday mornings.
"She was also someone who developed a passion for recycling quite recently but most of all, Sandra will be remembered for her warmth and kindnesses, such as her provision of coffee for the newsroom."
Chouthi's close friend Natasha Saidwan said Sandra was a confidante.
"She had a respect for everyone and she accepted everyone for who they were."
Chouthi's colleague and Express Editor Deborah John described her as a lovely person who had a wonderful spirit. "She was eager, always thorough, professional and interested in getting the story done in the right way.
"Sandra was a beautiful person who reached the heights of her profession at the Guardian."
Senior political reporter Richard Lord described Chouthi as one of the more genuine and helpful journalists that he had worked with.
"She helped me with a lot of my stories over the years. Today is a very sad day for our profession. It is a tremendous loss."
The funeral is carded for 9.30 am tomorrow at the house of mourning at Bamboo Village, Valsayn, then the Caroni cremation site.