THE Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is mourning the loss of People’s National Congress (PNC) Councillor Junior Garrett, who died suddenly on Friday.  M&CC Public Relations Officer Ms. Debra Lewis told the Guyana Chronicle that news of his passing came as a real shock to them at the M&CC, as it was only that  morning Garrett attended a meeting of the Finance Committee and did not exhibit any signs of illness.

Garrett, 65, reportedly said he had another appointment and left the meeting at around 11:30hrs, and that was the last his colleagues saw of him.  He joined the City Council on March 5, 2002, served as Chairman of the Finance Committee in the previous council, and was a member of the Finance Committee at the time of his passing.

An accountant by profession, Garrett also served on the Investment and Development Committee, International Relations Committee, and the Environment and Sustainability Committee.

Said Lewis: “The Council regrets his passing. He was very active, and was always ready to represent the rights of workers. We’ve lost one of our valued councillors who made meaningful contributions to the Council.”  Mayor Patricia Chase-Green said that words cannot express how she feels about the passing of her friend. “I knew him before he became a city councillor,” she said.

“And as city councillors, we worked together to make a difference in local communities. “As mayor, I benefitted from his knowledge, particularly in the area of financial management. We had numerous meetings where he shared openly with me about his vision for his community, and offered me invaluable support.

“He demonstrated that you can lead in a way that is bold and determined, but also with a sense of compassion for others,” Mayor Green said in a statement.