Dr Faith Harding was yesterday eulogised as larger than life and someone who walked the talk during a funeral service at the Christ Church in Waterloo Street, before she was laid to rest.
The educator and humanitarian was lauded by her son Patrick Harding Jnr, who read the eulogy, as a woman who gave her life for her people. He said his mother was completely dedicated to raising the bar and achieving all she wanted. “She was unwavering in keeping her promises and achieving goals,” he said, while adding that he always wanted to make her proud of him.
“I thought that if I was ten per cent of the person she was I would have won,” he stated, noting that she was not only his mother but a mother to one million people. He praised her for her work in Guyana and in poor countries like Liberia and Sudan, while adding that because of her commitment to seeing children gain an education, many have benefited in Sudan. “She was clearly a role model,” he said.
“She walked the talk and she did the work herself,” he added, stating that if the former PNC minister had a voice to speak now, she would tell her fellow politicians to continue her work; she would tell young children to reach for the skies, find a role model and live the life they were meant to live; and she would tell Guyanese policymakers to work together for the people and remember to smile and be pleasant.
Harding said his mother “lived the life she wanted” and was even “larger than life.”
The funeral service was attended by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, APNU leader David Granger and Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman as well as parliamentarians, members of the PNCR party and hundreds of Guyanese from all walks of life.
Harding, 67, died at the St Joseph Mercy Hospital after a period of illness. She was a member of the PNC party for 25 years and served as Minister of Public Service from 1989 to 1992. She was recognized for transforming the ministry.
In 2011, she had contested to be the presidential candidate of the PNCR and lost to Granger, which caused her to leave the party because she believed she was sidelined.
Harding was also an advocate for rights of women and children, suicide prevention, and LGBT rights. She was heavily involved in counselling cases of domestic violence, abuse and rape.
Throughout the years, Harding, had been involved in a number of initiatives, including the One Billion Rising Campaign and her own Quick Impact Programme (QIP). Among other initiatives, the latter entailed the planting of sorrel in small communities for export.
She also worked with the UN, serving in East Timor, Liberia and Sudan.
Harding was married to Patrick Harding, President of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners’ Association.
