The University of the West Indies (The UWI) says it is deeply saddened by the loss of unabashed patriot and public servant, Reginald Dumas.
In mourning his passing, The UWI said he embodied the phrase “a true Trini,” born to Tobagonian parents, but growing up in Trinidad.
“The tales of his upbringing, from his memoirs, seem to be that which many can relate to, growing up in a single-parent household, living in culturally rich towns like Chaguanas and Tunapuna, and attending a top-tier secondary school. But even with this seemingly average Trini upbringing Dumas excelled, he won many scholarships, including the Island Scholarship which took him to Cambridge University,” a statement on Monday said.
In 2011, Dumas was bestowed with an honorary doctorate from The UWI St Augustine, a Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa). In his address to students upon receiving the award, he perfectly encapsulated his lifelong mantra, namely to reflect, analyse and question. He stated, “… always place emphasis on values. It strikes me constantly that we have grown technologically at the expense of the values crucial for a civilized society – values such as integrity, hard work, community spirit, ethical behaviour and concern for the national over the sectional interest.”