House mourns Hans Hanoomansingh

Hansley “Hans” Hanoomansingh -

MEMBERS of the House of Representatives paid tribute to Hansley “Hans” Hanoomansingh during an extraordinary sitting at the Red House, Port of Spain on July 28.

Hanoomansingh, 82, a former parliamentarian, pioneering broadcaster and cultural advocate, died earlier this month.

He worked for many years at Radio Trinidad and the National Broadcasting Service where he developed a reputation for placing East-Indian culture at the forefront of the national psyche.

He is also credited with making the Divali Nagar a staple on the national cultural calendar.

Hanoomansingh was awarded the Hummingbird Medal Gold in 1990 for his contribution to media and culture.

Leader of Government Business Barry Padarath said Hanoomansingh will be forever remembered for his contributions to all these spheres of national life. He added Hanoomansingh’s contributions are “part of the multicultural tapestry of Trinidad and Tobago.”

Diego Martin Central MP Symon de Nobriga said Hanoomansingh was a breath of fresh air a time where some people preferred noise over nuance. He added throughout his life, Hanoomansingh never sought to be divisive in any way.

“His work was about national integrity.”

Speaker Jadgeo Singh agreed with the comments made by Padarath and de Nobriga.

He said he had the privilege of knowing Hanoomansingh personally. “His was a life defined by unwavering service, a distinctive voice that narrated our national journey across generations of audiences. This unique voice was part of a legacy etched in the cultural, political, and intellectual fabric of this nation.”

Singh noted Hanoomansingh was the former Democratic Labour Party MP for Caroni East from November 25, 1966 to April 22, 1971.

“Beyond the Parliament, Mr Hanoomansingh’s influence reached deep into the soul of the nation through the arts, culture, and media.”

He said, “As the founder of Heritage Radio 101.7 FM, in 2010, the University of the West Indies conferred upon him the honorary Doctor of Laws, praising his lifelong pursuit of knowledge, dialogue, and national upliftment.”

Singh added, “Today this nation can even boast of the Divali Nagar celebrations and its increasing footprint due in part to his founding effort.”

The sitting was called to debate motions filed by government on the reasons for declaring a state of emergency (SoE) on July 17 and extend it for a further three months. With 26 seats in the House, the UNC was certain to pass both motions.

Once the House approves the SoE motions, government will debate a second motion to amend the Prison Act to designate certain locations as prisons. Government’s 26 seat majority will ensure passage of that motion as well.

The Senate will hold an extraordinary sitting on July 29 to debate the latter.