Following the sudden passing of the Parliamentary Representative for the Grand Bay Constituency, Edward Registe on September 1, 2021, at the Dominica China Friendship Hospital (DCFH), several members of parliament were among those who took to social media, to pay tribute and to send their condolences to his family and loved ones.
In a statement made shortly after the announcement of the politician’s death, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit had described him as a stalwart of the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) who was a strong advocate for the little man and labelled his death as one which was “difficult to accept.”
Skerrit pledged in a post on social media that the cabinet would honour the legacy of Registe who was also the Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Business and Diaspora Relations, with Specific responsibility for Diaspora Relations, by seeking to implement the “many programmes and projects” he proposed to improve the lives of his constituents.
“We will remember him, always, for his sterling contribution to the development of Grand Bay and Dominica,” he said. “As Parliamentary Representative for the Grand Bay Constituency, he was attuned to the needs of his people and a passionate champion of their interests. Grand Bay and Dominica have lost a stalwart leader who inspired and cared for many and devoted his life to service.”
A condolence message to the family also came from the Parliamentary Representative of the Mahuat Constituency and Minister of National Security and Home Affairs, Rayburn Blackmoore, who pointed out that despite the fact that we are mortal, the untimely passing of someone is always hard and sad.
“Brother Ed gave his life to the community and country. Service to people was his vocation. He fell ill on the job yesterday and this morning he went to the great beyond. I heard his voice for the last time yesterday at a cabinet meeting and saw his lifeless body this morning; that is hard but the struggle must continue,” Blackmoore said. “The community has lost a great man. Dominica has lost a great man. The Dominica Labour Party has lost a champion and a soldier,” .
For her part, Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, Youth at Risk, Gender Affairs, Seniors Security and Dominicans with Disabilities, Dr Adis King echoed the sentiment of many that Registe, a former President of Dominica National Youth Council (NYC), Chairman of the Grand Bay Village Council and President of the Grand Bay Credit Union, was dedicated to every portfolio he was given.
“He served his country with deep commitment and worked for the wellbeing of the people of the Grandbay Constituency. A distinguished leader and an outstanding public figure. Undoubtedly, the people of Grandbay have lost a wise and erudite leader whose empathy with the people made him a much-loved Parl. Rep,” Dr King wrote.
She further added, “Our beloved humble, jovial, warrior, and Godfearing Bro. Edward Registe, chose a life of serving others and he will surely be missed. Words will never be enough to express the pain we feel now, but with time we know that our hearts will be healed. Let us continue to keep Bro. Edward Registe’s memories are alive because it is in his life, we can overcome the pain of his death. Labourites will always remember that deep voice that echoes ‘ LABOURRRRR’.”
Minister of Tourism, International Transport, and Maritime Initiatives Denise Charles shared that she and Registe were prepared to execute several plans for the south but were only halted due to the current upsurge in COVID-19 figures locally.
He {the Lord} gave you to us for a while, and you have left us serving the people that you loved so much in the highest office. Your journey has ended; your memory and the vision that you carried shall live on!! I shall greatly miss you, my southern brother! A Dominica Labour Party rally without you will never be the same!” her Facebook post stated.
Another message came from Minister of Environment, Rural Modernisation and Kalinago Upliftment Cozier Fedrick and Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs and Planning who stated “I must say that we shared some brief times as colleagues, especially as new parl reps trying to get our bearings. His office was like my office. He will be truly missed,” and “As a Parliamentary colleague Ed will be missed for his insightful, encouraging contributions and for his attention to detail,” respectively.
Speaker of the House of Assembly, Joseph Isaac, is calling on the general public to use Registe’s passing as an opportunity for unison.
“We have to look at the positive aspects of his life where he contributed so much to our country. I think he would want us to move on and be strong as a collective as a country. Right now, we are grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic that is a good opportunity for us to unite as one people as one nation, we have to come together and work to build this country, that is what Ed would have wanted,” Isaac said.
Yes Ed was a nice guy and May his Soul Rest in peace.
But I want to say that we are all like peas in a pod and have access to the same medical system in Dominica. So I want to tell all those hypocrite ministers, what they too have to think about, is that should something similar happen to them or if they are involved in a traffic accident, they too have to go to that same Hospital to receive the same kind of medical care that Ed received last week, which was insufficient. So they all have to put water in their wine and work hard to improve the medical care that is provided at the PMH. Skerrit said that he has medical insurance and challenged Dominicans to go get theirs , but I want to tell him insurance cannot save him .
Ed was a decent, caring man, enough respect
but he dead and nothing he can do again no weasel words bringing him back. The people need presentation though and we need a new deputy speaker. When is the by election? Thank you.
@Toto, your comments are insensitive and completely missed the mark, get out of here scrumpy!
Man, you forget Roosevelt Skerrit rushing up Morne Bruce to get President Liverpool’s blessing to be the new head of government without election when Pierre Charles body was hardly cold. Man behave yourself.