FORMER Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Mr. Brian Sucre, 64, died of a suspected heart attack on Friday at the Davis Memorial Hospital, Durban Backlands, Georgetown. Sucre, who lived at the Joint Services Housing Scheme at Lamaha Springs, East La Penitence, is survived by his widow, Mrs. Diana Sucre. Consumed with grief, she was still in a state of shock as she related to the Chronicle yesterday that her husband suffered no illness leading up to his death; but very early on Friday morning (shortly before 6:00 hrs), he had complained of a pain in the region of his heart.
As the pain apparently intensified, he requested to be taken to the Davis Memorial Hospital, and this was done. The family arrived with him at the institution within minutes, but he died at around 08:18hrs.
At the time of his death, Mr. Sucre was Director of Gold Port Resources Limited, a Canadian exploration company, and also offered consultancy services.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Mr. Robert Persaud, and GGMC staff also expressed shock at receiving the news of the demise of Mr. Sucre, who had with distinction served the Commission during his tenure there.
A release from the Ministry of National Resources and Environment said Mr. Sucre joined the Geological Survey and Mines Department in 1967 as a trainee geologist.
He then proceeded to the University of Manitoba, where he studied for a Degree in Geology under a CIDA scholarship. Upon completion of his studies, he was appointed a Geologist on May 7, 1993, in the Department of Geological Surveys and Mines at the then Ministry of Mines and Forests.
Commencing September 1974, he pursued training at the Imperial College of Science and Technology in the United Kingdom, where he earned a Masters Degree in Geophysics. He was subsequently appointed to the position of Geophysicist within the Department of Geological Surveys and Mines of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources over the period August 1, 1979 to August 1, 1980.
Sucre was later transferred to the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission as a Geophysicist with effect from September 1, 1980, and was later seconded to the Ministry of Energy and Mines as Chief of the Petroleum Unit on February 1, 1983.
In November, 1986, he was appointed Director of the Petroleum Unit of the GNRA, after which he was appointed Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission from January 5, 1994 until the time of his retirement – August 31, 2001.
Subsequent years were spent doing consultancy.
A keen sports enthusiast, Mr. Sucre was actively involved in playing cricket and golf, his wife recalls.  He was a Roman Catholic and attended Our Lady of Fatima and St. Theresa’s R.C churches.
Besides his wife, Sucre leaves to mourn four sons, two daughters, three stepchildren, and other relatives and friends. A post-mortem examination is to be performed early this week.