Dear Editor,
People live and die, but in life as in death they leave with us memories that will last till our own demise.
My Comrade and good friend Rohit Persaud was such a person.
Rohit was one of the many individuals who, from boyhood days, without ever looking back, always looking forward and by dint of hard work, gave his level best towards the upliftment of his people and country. His country, people and party mattered most of all.
Men like Rohit were unquestionably, the product of Cheddi Jagan’s and the PPP’s strong and all-pervasive influence at a time when the struggle for Guyana’s independence was at its height.
Rohit grew up in the struggle, was steeled in struggle and never abandoned the struggle only when involuntarily he could do no more.
In this life we have friends, acquaintances and comrades. Sometimes there is a wonderful blend between friend and comrade but that harmonious and beautiful blend that brings out the best in the character of a person is rarely found in a world characterized by competition, selfishness, opportunism, self-righteousness, greed and above all, forgetfulness.
While it is true that Man is born weak, nevertheless, as Rohit became more and more politically aware and ideologically conscious, he was never infected with commonplace human frailties. He was a man with a mission never losing sight of the tasks ahead aimed at strengthening the party, striving for racial and working-class unity and improving the lot of the poor and underprivileged.
In matters of principle, Rohit stood like a rock knowing there will be a price to be paid. And because he always voted for principle there were times when he stood either alone or in a minority. But to him that didn’t matter, what was important for him was that the level of comfort with his conscience remained high and intact.
But whatever the circumstances, one thing is certain, Rohit Persaud never let his beliefs become more important than himself. That is why at all times, he was seen as a man of the people, with his feet on the ground, lending his ears to those who had no voice and his eyes sharp on the lookout for what was to be done in the communities where he lived and worked.
Rohit must have taken his last breath knowing that the journey ahead will take him to the great beyond where he will meet with Comrades who went before him more particularly Sheik Feroze Mohamed and Komal Chand his Comrades-in-arms with whom he enjoyed a healthy, constructive and sometimes disagreeable discussion.
Death ended Rohit’s life but it will never end our relationship.
RIP Comrade Rohit!
Yours faithfully,
Clement J. Rohee
