COMMENTARY: La Plaine has lost a giant

The sudden and unfortunate death of 51-year-old Clement Daniel, affectionately known as “Totoye”, on Tuesday, April 5, after being electrocuted by a shaver, has shocked and saddened La Plaine.

Totoye was a devout Catholic, a compassionate, humble, loving man and a gentle soul. His enthusiasm for helping people was matched only by his love for La Plaine. In a conversation with one of my cousins she said. “Totoye was the most humble and caring man I’ve ever known in La Plaine. It was amazing to see how gracious and caring he was. After his sudden death, I realized how much he meant to everyone.”

Totoye never had much in life but was contented with his life possessions and his place in society. In spite of having developmental issues and challenges which lead to his low IQ and nasal way of speaking, he was a simple, well-liked, hardworking and happy man. To earn his way, he did a variety of odd jobs such as weeding yards, digging graves, hiking guide to the Sari- Sari Falls, landscaper/gardener and a handy man. He was’ La Plaine and La Plaine’ was him and he had the biggest ‘heart’ in the community. He was everywhere, knew everyone and everything that was happening in the community. My cousin described him fondly as the ‘CNN’ of La Plaine.

But Totoye did not allow powerful and negative factors, events and realities to change him and how he viewed his community and the relationships he fostered, nurtured and maintained with the ‘brethren and sisters’. His actions and way of life and the manner he conducted himself nostalgically reminds this writer of ‘the La Plaine’ he grew up in where everyone was everyone’s keeper and people were treated as family and friends. Unlike today where villagers are treated and identified by the political colours they wear. Consequently, the community has become a very divisive and a politically tense place.

Additionally, the dynamics of big money politics and other questionable practices like free diaspora massive airlift voting excursions during last three election cycles which have altered the elections results, have probably irreversibly affected and fractured the once close –knit community of La Plaine. The collateral damage from this new normal has sadly been very destructive and has had far reaching present and probably future detrimental implications of divide and conquer.

Notwithstanding this discouraging fact and the bad place La Plaine has found itself in as a result of this new normal, the community needed an authentic person or leader ‘without a myopic and narrow agenda’ to reverse that ugly trend and downward slide and get it back on the right footing. Unknowing to Totoye, his life epitomized that hope and direction to a better way and day in La Plaine. He was all about the beauty of love, consideration, compassion and cooperation.

Totoye was one the Catholic priest most dependable volunteer helpers. He always carried the cross at funeral processions, helped the elderly to their seats in church, rang the church bell summoning the faithful to service and was the usher during services. He embraced and enjoyed the task of cleaning and sweeping the church and its yard.

According to my cousin, “He really had a passion for what he did, and for the community. Now there is a big hole there with his passing.” A posting on the DNO website said, ‘I lost a close friend but the people of La Plaine lost an active helping and walking encyclopedia. Rest in Peace my friend, you will be missed but not forgotten.’

But Totoye had family in high places as well. The small house where he lived and the yard where he fell to his death after the shock waves over powered his heart, were the same place where one of La Plaine’s brightest and most prominent sons began his life. His uncle and God Father, Former Police Commissioner Matthias ‘Da-dai’ Lestrade, left La Plaine for the city just about the time when his sister who now resides in the U.SV.I gave birth to Totoye. Whenever I have a chance to visit with Commissioner Lestrade he speaks fondly and reminisces about that time, yard and the small house where he was born and raised before he moved away to greener pastures.

I caught up with Totoye during my last visit to La Plaine about two years ago. He was dropping off a gas cylinder to someone’s house. As we talked, he told me that my Patois speaking skills had weakened significantly and that I should come down more often and ‘check’ him more.

Maybe Totoye’s sad, untimely and tragic death is meant to send a message to the people of this once close –knit community of La Plaine. This writer does not profess to be a religious scholar or knows anything about biblical prophecy, but believes (that just may be) Totoye’s untimely death signifies something much bigger than him. It may be a signal to those of us who hail from this majestic place that we should be kinder and gentler with each other like the folks before us did. It probably goes on to say that we should avoid political actors who bring money and gifts and/or others who are putting wedges between us and destroying our community for their personal gains.

Maybe that was the unique message his life and death sent to La Plaine folks- to take care of each other. If that is the case, it is a welcome, powerful and sustainable message and practice. This paradigm has worked extremely well before in our small community. Those of us who have ‘left’ La Plaine and have made some strides can attest to that fact and hold this tried and true practice and way of living to be self-evident.

Totoye was a Christian man in word, deed, faith and action. He was certainly not a flamboyant preacher, neither a colourful pastor nor an overconfident politician invoking God’s name and quoting Biblical verse at every turn and stop. In the simple and most impressive manner by which he lived his life, he was a student and steward of the good book – the Bible- in letter and in spirit.

His quick departure from this earth should remind us of the tenuous and unpredictable nature of life and that we are all living on borrowed time and at any time, anywhere, our names can be ‘called’ with little or no notice.

Our hearts are broken.

Rest in Peace Totoye.