THE local dominoes fraternity is mourning the passing of the president of the Guyana National Dominoes Federation (GNDF) Robert Williams, which occurred on Monday, following a prolonged illness. Among the clubs paying tributes to Williams, who also served as vice-president of the World Council of Dominoes Federation (WCDF) is International Six.
In a release, through its captain and well-known dominoes enthusiast, Manniram ‘Packer’ Shew, the club said it is saddened by the passing of Williams who played a pivotal role in the advancement of the grassroots game in Guyana.
According to Shew, the late GNDF president was instrumental in ensuring that dominoes rose from being a bottom-house pastime to international level.
Apart from Shew, among the other prominent International Six members expressing their regret at the passing of Williams are Frederick Halley, a former Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the GNDF, Roderick Harry, Muntaz ‘Bhajee’ Ally, Colin Hicken, Hilbert ‘Bumpy’ Ally, Imtiaz Ali, Intikhab Ali, Narvin Samaroo, Edmund Sammy, Ron Callender, Martin Permaul, Orin Boston, Robbie Persaud, ‘Sugar’ Rahaman, Pertab Singh, Deno Bissessar and Charles Dopson.
Williams died Monday morning at a city hospital.
Williams was a Guyana Elections Commissioner as well as chairman of the Municipality’s Finance Committee.
He was 62.
He had been ailing for sometime and his condition worsened late last year and since then he had been hospitalised.
Williams was a former Minister of Fisheries under the Forbes Burnham-led People’s National Congress (PNC) administration in the early 1980s.