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Loop News 11 hrs ago

Rickey Singh. Photo: CMC

CMC – The funeral service or the respected and veteran Caribbean journalist, Rickey Singh, will take place in Barbados on July 16, his relatives announced on Monday.

They said the funeral will take place at The People’s Cathedral and the body will be laid to rest at the Coral Ridge Memorial Gardens in Christ Church.

In the statement announcing the funeral service, the family said” in the end, Rickey Singh’s life was not only a testament to truth but also to unwavering love, faith, and service.

“Singh closed the chapter on his journalist career after more than six decades of reporting and commentary on politics and world affairs. In the early morning of July 5th, he left behind the pain and weariness and took flight. Days and weeks before, he would sometimes say he was talking to his brother Richard or to George Lamming or Harold Hoyte – all who had passed on before. So, in some ways he was preparing everyone for his final story – his farewell story,” the statement added.

Antigua and Barbuda’s ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders, who was among several people, media organisations and even governments, said the Caribbean region and its media landscape lost an icon on Saturday, with Singh’s death.

“Rickey Singh was a courageous journalist and a steadfast advocate for Caribbean integration. Through his incisive commentary, he played a role as vital as that of the region’s political leaders in shaping the discourse on unity, justice, and governance. He never hesitated to hold recalcitrant leaders to account, and in doing so, he earned both admiration and fear,” he said.

Guyana’s President, Irfaan Ali, in a statement said he is joining the regional media fraternity in mourning Singh’s death, describing him as “one of the stalwarts of Caribbean journalism. “He was a distinguished son of Guyana who was courageous in standing up for press freedom and democracy.

“Rickey Singh’s perspectives on regional issues also enriched regional discourse on matters of importance to the Caribbean. He was an avid follower of developments across the Caribbean and his articles were a source of both information and enlightenment,” Ali said in his statement.

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley said that Singh has left a legacy that any young journalist with a genuine interest in building a reputation based on integrity would do well to emulate.

“Rickey Singh, like many of the media practitioners of his time, had his roots in one nation but his heart and spirit flowed throughout the region like the Caribbean Sea. Whether it was in his native Guyana, Trinidad, or Barbados, which he called home for more than four decades, Rickey’s was a household name.”

Former St Lucia Prime minister Dr Kenny Anthony said Singh was “a giant of a man, in faith, in act and in belief”.

The Guyanese-born Singh, who received an honorary doctorate from the University of the West Indies (UWI) and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Guyana government in 2023, had been ailing for a long time.

In a brief statement, the Guyana Press Association (GPA) extended condolences to the family, friends and regional media colleagues of Singh.