– hundreds of mourners, sympathisers attend funeral

A THANKSGIVING Service in celebration of the life of Mr. Terence Ormonde Holder was held, on Wednesday, at St. Andrew’s Kirk, Brickdam and Avenue of the Republic.That followed a period of viewing of the body at Merriman’s Funeral Home, Lime and Bent Streets, Work-en-Rust, also in Georgetown, earlier in the day.
The worship service gathered together hundreds of mourners and sympathisers, having journeyed from various destinations both within and without Guyana, all with one accord to share in the grief of the bereaved

relatives and to pay their last respects to someone who was hailed as a champion broadcaster in Guyana, among other respected portfolios.
Holder, former Deputy General Manager of the Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Company Ltd (GT&T) and former President and Secretary General of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU), died at his Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park residence on Wednesday January 8 last.
Among those at the Thanksgiving Service were Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds; Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman; Leader of the Opposition, Brigadier (ret’d) David Granger, other A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Parliamentarian, Basil Williams and overseas-based associates, including Dr. Arlington Chesney, veteran broadcaster Rafiq Khan, (longtime friend of Holder) Brij Parasnath and others.
There was an outpouring of moving tributes by friends, associates and family members, including representatives of the Rotary Club of Georgetown, the Guyana Manufacturers Association, the GT&T, the GBC US-based chapter; the Guyana Cricket Board, as well as in song by ‘The Circle of Love’ and family members of Holder.

GRACIOUSLY ACKNOWLEDGED
Mr. Ramesh Dookhoo said Holder’s contribution to the many organisations he belonged were graciously acknowledged. To the Guyana Manufacturers’ Association (GMA), he was considered a valuable member, with a quiet sense of fair play and justice and one who always volunteered his time and resources to get things done.
He was a respected colleague, noble to the cause and always very steadfast and willing, credited as someone upon whom you could depend and a fillip to any organisation of which he formed part.
“We have lost a valuable member. Terence Holder will not be easily forgotten. Many years down the road, when faced with situations, we would still be asking: ‘How would Terry Holder have handled this?’ Dookhoo stated.

In conclusion, Dookhoo observed that Holder was a genuine family man, friend and colleague, who touched many lives and leaves behind a rich legacy for the membership to follow.
Ms. Pamela Briggs, GT&T Director of Consumer Services, said Holder was a ‘consummate professional’, eloquent, cool and glib.

“He had the art of smoothing a rough package with words and was respected for his oratory,” she said, recalling, too, that he, greatly, impacted the lives of GT&T employees.
Briggs said he was able to bridge relationships between management and staff through his resonant leadership style and the way he had the welfare of staff at heart. He was also eminently concerned about consumers, justice and fair play.
Through his involvement and experience in the communications field, Holder had come to be respected as a virtual communications icon at GT&T, hence such responsibilities often devolved on him, as in the case of the GT&T Christmas Annual which was his brainchild.
Noting how much he will be missed by the management and staff of GT&T, the organisation resolves to find strength in knowing that he lived a full life.
Representative of the GBC US-Chapter, Mr. Patrick Patterson lauded Holder as someone who provided leadership of the highest order, a man of fortitude and always ready to face challenge.
He said Holder’s character epitomised the saying that ‘Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, but about dancing in the rain and, indeed this world is a better place because of people like Terry Holder.’

SPORTS AMBASSADORS
Rafiq Khan hailed Holder as one of the greatest Sports Ambassadors Guyana ever produced and, in this regard, his contribution to cricket, track and field as well as his passion for how he engineered them to fame was acknowledged, especially amongst now prominent cricketers.
Holder was credited as the godfather of sports broadcasting in the Caribbean, having been the person to champion the cause and lobby for cricket and boxing taking place internationally, to be broadcast live in Guyana.
Having promised and delivered on his word to lobby for live broadcast of cricket in Guyana, he was all the more alluded to as a ‘man to his word’, a man of principles.
And to others, Holder was a broadcaster extraordinaire, one who touched many people’s lives. He was kind, gentle, wise and had unique ways of raising funds, be it for live commentary or boxing championships from abroad; he had a way of rising to the challenge.
Khan concluded: “His death has left a vacant seat within the family organisation. He was respectable and reliable; always willing to take on the responsibility of offering guidance; being the emcee. He had a sharp wit; a strong institutionalised memory; a great sense of humour, but above all, was always punctual and had the greatest respect for time.”
Meanwhile, the programme was delicately interspersed with inspirational songs by Clayton Hinds’ ‘Circle of Love’, the reciting of Martin Carter’s ‘Death Must not find us thinking that we die’ and other contributions in song by family members.
Terence Ormonde Holder was the son of centenarian Mrs. Claudine Holder (101) and the late Mr. Cecil Holder. He is also survived by his children, foster children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.

(By Shirley Thomas)