Former Black Power leader and founder of the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC) Makandal Daaga’s funeral service yesterday was briefly disrupted by radio talk show host Ricardo “Gladiator” Welch who was apparently displeased with the alleged “hypocrisy” shown by the People’s National Movement (PNM) Government for not granting Daaga a state funeral.
The disturbance occurred during Public Administration and Communication Minister Maxie Cuffie’s tribute to Daaga at the Grand Stand, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain.
Just after Cuffie, speaking on behalf of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, said Black Power meant the power of a united black people, the rekindled latent strength of a people accustomed to being told their affirmations were too grand, an irate Welch got to his feet and began shouting “hypocrites” at Cuffie.
Welch was escorted away from the Grand Stand by several members of the audience and police but was allowed to take in the proceedings from the sidelines.
Speaking to the Sunday Guardian near the end of the service, Welch said, “My actions are the result of the statement made by Ag Prime Minister Colm Imbert who said Daaga was not qualified for a state funeral, that it was only for prime ministers and presidents who died in office.
“That was a lie because Patrick Manning, ANR Robinson, Ellis Clarke, did not die in office but were given a state funeral.
“What disturbed me was there were PNM members sitting in the audience, Works Minister Fitzgerald Hinds, Ag AG Stuart Young and Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus.
“The current Prime Minister of this country marched in the 1970 Black Power struggle in Tobago and also in Trinidad and what was being practised upon the stage was a matter of hypocrisy.”
He said he was against hypocrisy by the current PNM administration who praised Daaga for his contributions to T&T and the Caribbean yet refused to give him a state funeral.
United National Congress (UNC) chairman Dr David Lee spoke on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition Kamla Persad-Bissessar who he said could not make it because of her dental operation on Friday.
Also present at the funeral service were several of Daaga’s colleagues in the former People’s Partnership government, former foreign affairs minister Winston Dookeran, tertiary education minister Fazal Karim, transport minister Stephen Cadiz, Planning minister Dr Bhoe Tewarie, Public Administration minister Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan, minister of Gender, Youth and Child Development Clifton De Coteau, Culture minister Winston “Gypsy” Peters, UNC deputy chairman Khadijah Ameen, Opposition MP Barry Padarath, UNC campaign manager Rodney Charles, and former vice-chairman of the Congress of the People (COP) Nicole Dyer-Griffith.
Jamaat al-Muslimeen leader Abu Bakr was also at the funeral, accompanied by his entourage of bodyguards along with his son, Fuad.
Daaga was later interred at the Lapeyrouse Cemetery, Phillip Street, Port-of-Spain.
STATE contributed $100,000
Speaking to the media at Thursday’s post-cabinet press conference, acting Prime Minister Colm Imbert said Daaga did not qualify for a state funeral.
Imbert said, "There are three types of funerals recognised by the State. There are state funerals, which are the highest and are reserved for presidents and prime ministers who die in office.
“Then you have an official funeral for former prime ministers, former presidents and sitting ministers of government, actually, Cabinet ministers in office, Chief Justices, that kind of thing and then you have the funeral with state involvement.
"Mr Daaga was not in any groups that I mentioned, he does not qualify in accordance with the rules but we certainly believe that he qualifies for a funeral with state involvement."
The Government, however, contributed $100,000 to Daaga’s funeral.