Sheila Holder hailed as ‘effective’ and ‘unique’  Parliamentarian
-may be buried in New York
ONE day after her death, Founding Member of the Alliance For Change (AFC) Ms. Sheila Holder is hailed as an effective and unique member of the Guyanese Parliament, one who has made a contribution not only to the political process but also to national development.

Holder, 65, lost the battle to Intestinal Cancer on Sunday evening in New York, USA.
Since her death, and during her illness, well wishers have, and continue to, rally around in support of her family – an attempt to honour her legacy, as one of the most vocal female politicians fighting for the basic rights of Guyanese.
Prior to her passing, the 65-year-old had been hospitalized locally before travelling to the United States of America to receive further medical attention.
Early in September she announced her decision to step down as AFC’s Prime Ministerial candidate in the upcoming polls.
In announcing the tragedy late Sunday, AFC described its former Prime Ministerial Candidate as “a patriot” who embodied the attributes of grace and service. AFC said the deceased Consumer Advocate was also a fierce fighter for a better and unified Guyana.
Party Leader Raphael Trotman was quoted as saying that “Sheila was the embodiment of dignity, fairness and equality. She was an upstanding citizen and an uncompromised politician and words cannot express how much she will be missed in the party and in Guyana.”
Holder’s former running mate, Khemraj Ramjattan said it was the most distressing news the party could have heard. “She was a beacon of inspiration for all of us in the party,” he added.
“We take heart that her legacy will live on in the AFC forever and we know she will want us to continue to fight for justice and a better Guyana for all Guyanese. We will honour her life’s work by re-doubling our own work for a better Guyana,” Ramjattan said.
The party opened a Book of Condolence yesterday afternoon at its Head Office located at 139 Fourth St Campbellville. A number of persons have already signed the book, including Prime Minister Samuel Hinds.
But Holder was not only admired and respected by those in her party alone but also her colleague members of the Ninth Parliament and those in other political parties. The governing People’s Progress Party/Civic (PPP/C), in a statement, said Mrs Holder would be remembered as a determined individual and a persistent advocate of her belief noting that her many years of service in both the political area and consumer affairs advocacy have impacted national dialogue and policies.
The Guyana Chronicle caught up with that party’s Presidential Candidate Mr. Donald Ramotar who said Mrs. Holder was a hard working parliamentarian.
“I think she probably asked the most questions of government ministers in Parliament,” Ramotar recalled fondly.
“That meant that she did her research, although sometimes they were flawed, and she made a very good contribution to the national assembly and to the parliamentary life of this country,” Ramotar said.
“I am saddened at her passing. Despite our political differences, she was a kind and nice person…we had good relations. We always found ourselves eating together after Parliament and sometimes we talk politics, sometimes we talk family and other times general issues. She was a good woman, who will be missed,” the PPP/C Presidential Candidate stated.
Extending his sympathies to her family, friends and the Alliance for Change (AFC), Ramotar maintained that Holder made a significant contribution to Guyana.
A Partnership for National Unity (A.P.N.U) also joined the nation is expressing sympathies on the passing of Holder.
“Sheila Holder has, for many decades, spoken to the needs and other concerns of the Guyanese people. As a government information officer, a consumer activist, a Member of Parliament and, more recently, as the Prime Ministerial Candidate of the Alliance for Change, she committed herself to the struggle for a just and multi-racial Guyana,” said Colleague Parliamentarian Lance Carberry on APNU’s behalf.
Holder, who was hospitalized several times in Guyana in the last two years, was one of 21 female parliamentarians in the National Assembly. Deputy Speaker and PNC/R Parliamentarian Clarisa Riehl described Mrs. Holder as “a very good parliamentarian” who contributed to the National Assembly in a meaningful fashion.
“She was not on a lot of the committees with me but in the open parliament she made significant contributions. She asked a lot of questions which contributed to the life of the parliament…she got a lot of information out of the government,” Riehl recalled.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Presidential Adviser on Governance and PPP/C Parliamentarian, Gail Teixeira, who added that, “Mrs Holder was an effective Parliamentarian; she was a disciplined Parliamentarian.”
Teixeira recalled Holder being constantly present and prepared at select committee meetings. “We had a good relationship, sometimes adversarial,” a saddened colleague related. “Her level of contribution would be missed…as a woman Parliamentarian she wouldn’t be with us in the next Parliament,” Teixeira said.

UNIQUE PARLIAMENTARIAN
Former Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr. Ralph Ramkarran, told the Guyana Chronicle that Mrs. Holder was “a unique parliamentarian”, who was dedicated and committed to her duties in the National Assembly.

“She has a unique quality that many other parliamentarians do not have, which is that she spoke relatively briefly with great effect and impact,” he said.
Ramkarran added that Mrs. Holder paid diligent attention to her work and the contributions she made were always well researched.
“She tabled many motions, more than other parliamentarians,” Ramkarran said.
Mrs. Holder was married to Mr. Noel Holder, agriculturist and CEO of i-net Communications Inc. for the last 36 years and has two sons and a daughter from the union.
She served as a member of the Trustee Board of the NGO Forum, as a Director of Guyana Stores Ltd, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards and the Bauxite Industry Development Company Ltd.
She was also chairperson for the Environmental chapter of the Guyana National Development Strategy.
Within the region, she was elected a member of the CARICOM recognized Caribbean Consumers Consultative Committee (CCCC), precursor to the Caribbean Consumers Council, and internationally, as a member of the Global Policy & Campaigns Committee (GPCC) of Consumers International (CI) as the repr
esentative for Latin America and the Caribbean.
She represented the Regional group at meetings such as the CARICOM “Forward Together Conference” with Heads of Governments; the Seventh CARICOM Council Meeting for Human & Social Development; the 23rd Meeting of Ministers and ACP-EU Economic & Social Interests Groups, in Brussels.