THE passing of Mr. Norman Faria, Honorary Consul in Barbados, is quite shocking and when I read of demise I thought it was a mistake.  Norma, as people called him, was a true champion of Guyanese at home and in Barbados and I am sure they will miss him enormously.  I do not know much about Norman but recognize he was a hard worker and a success story in Barbados.  He never passed up an opportunity to fight for Guyanese living on the island and never afraid to pen his views even amidst attacks.

I met Norman in Barbados during one annual Guyana Day celebrations for independence in Bridgetown while on a brief visit. After meeting him, he urged me to visit the island and I did especially during the independence day celebrations and I pass through several times while in transit to other Caribbean destinations.  Norman would make it his business to invite me for the annual celebrations and I would oblige with a visit – I love vacationing on the island and doing field work on Bhajan politics and chatting with Guyanese.

I had a somewhat lengthy chat with Norman last year at the May Day celebrations – where delicious food and favorite drinks were on sale on the banks of the ocean. He invited me for drinks and I declined.  We talked about Guyanese politics and about some of the foolishness that pass as daily columns in the papers in Guyana. He stayed in touch with me via email sending some of his commentaries that were published in the papers.  A few months ago, he invited me to come to last month’s Guyana Day celebrations and I was all set with reservations on American Airlines when Trinidad’s Prime Minister, Patrick Manning, dissolved parliament and called elections that conflicted with my Barbados plan and I canceled my visit. I truly regret not being able to meet him again because he was such a joy for a dialogue.

Norma was so young and energetic and such a fighter for our people.  He represented Guyana well. He deserves the highest accolades for standing up against the injustices meted out to our people in Barbados and around the region. My condolences to his family and the consulate in Barbados.