A day named after former world champion boxer Claude Noel, is what his family is asking for.
On Sunday, Claude Noel Jr, the second of three sons but the first with his wife Ann Noel, made the request just days after touching down on local soil to complete funeral arrangements for his father. He is here with his brother Sean and mother Ann. Cassius Antoine is Noel's first son.
Noel Jr said the day will be held to remember his dad and the contributions he made to the country and the world in the field of boxing.
Noel died on May 22 at the Mt Hope Medical Hospital after a long battle with diabetes. His nephew Renny Noel who lived with him and took care of him at their Malabar, Arima home, told the media he died after getting a stroke. He also said his uncle was being treated for an infection in the lung.
Noel spent his formative years at the Boys Industrial Home in Diego Martin where the sport of boxing was among several sports taught there. He was not alone, as some other former national boxing champions such as Michael Paul, Michael Drayton, and Wendell Joseph were also the beneficiaries of the coaching of Ken Mattias, and the sports programme offered at the home.
The quartet later went on to box for the Woodbrook Boxing Gym where their trade was fine-tuned and their successes were inevitable. Paul said Noel, however, was destined for greatness as he was never afraid of anyone, regardless of how big they were or who they may be.
"He had a ferocious punching power that was certain to knock down anyone. And he also had a bad mind with it," Paul said jokingly.
Noel's rise to greatness came in 1981 when he defeated Mexican Rodolfo Gonzalez for the WBA lightweight title in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The scheduled 15-round contest went the distance, with Noel prevailing 145-140, 145-141, and 144-141.
Before that, Noel had set the pace for his triumph soon after entering the fray of professional boxing. He defeated Art de Freitas by second-round knock-out in 1973, which started a series of unbeaten fights that led to his first version of the world title in 1979.
The junior Noel said the day for his father is critical as many of the young people today do not know his father and what he has done.
"We are now trying to find out what is the procedure for getting the day name in his honour. This is a great nation, but we must be able to recognise people for their contributions, which people can actually learn from," Noel Jr explained.
He noted also: "This is the 21st century and people can access information at their fingertips. Sadly, we also have lots of people coming into the country and benefiting more than the people who live here."
Noel's funeral is carded for June 10 at Allen's Funeral Home in Arima, but the family has still been toying with the option of a state funeral for him. This, Renny said, was offered to them recently.
"If that is to happen, then it will have to be done by this week. For me, because of the things that my husband did for the country, we would like to have a funeral that is fitting for his achievement and his contribution.
"We expect that people from all over the world would want to pay their respects. So, I don't want the bacchanal and the fight with the government because they have been a tremendous help to him, and we are thankful. All I want is to send him off in a smooth and respectful manner," Ann said.
According to Renny, there are suggestions by people in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) for Noel's body to be given a final ride on the Highway named after him in Tobago.
This, he said, will be a welcomed initiative, but it will all depend on the support for it.