Lawrence Williams was class at its finest

Dear Editor,

Lawrence Theodore Williams was an exception, one of a fast dwindling remnant of Guyanese. He stood out in a land overflowing with the loud, the obscene, and the swaggering. Lawrence stood out in his quiet, unassuming, courteous ways. He was old school and quality to the core; class at its finest.

In forty years of friendship, I have never heard him use a dirty word, or raise his voice. We shared strong views on race, corruption, and the things and parties that lay waste Guyana; this was always done unflinchingly and honestly. It was his way through the disarming intelligence, the quiet, profound thinking.

He never changed. He was always the same “LT” when he became governor, as when we were juniors way back yonder. Position did not go to his head, and nothing that did not belong ever went into this man’s pocket. His was the kind of behaviour and ethics that is now largely unknown.

Guyana lost a good man. I lost a stalwart friend. His family lost a light and an anchor. May they be strong in this time of hard testing. May he rest in peace. Sleep well, my brother.

Yours faithfully,
GHK Lall