Amongst those who paid tributes to Mr. Hoyte was the President of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo. Had the disrespectful elements in the crowd taken the time to listen carefully to what the Head of State said, they would have cheered his sincerity, rather than resort to the unbecoming behaviour at a state funeral.

The President in his tribute acknowledged that while we all have to die our reputations would live on. In paying tribute to the former president, he said that while they sat on opposite sides of the political spectrum they both were on the same side: that of the nation. He said that no one dared challenged Hoyte’s patriotism, resolve or contest his commitment to serving the people of the country. He also described Hoyte as a fervent regional integrationist who has made his mark on regionalism.

The President recalled the rich human encounters he had with Mr. Hoyte during their dialogue. The details of these informal exchanges are not common knowledge to the vast majority of Guyanese but they do reveal that having differing political perspectives does not exclude people from having rich human and friendly encounters. No doubt, both President Jagdeo and Mr. Hoyte were able to experience the personal side of each other and to acknowledge their common humanity.

This common humanity, this acknowledgement that our leaders are not mechanical wooden objects rearing to snap at each other’s throats, becomes more pronounced at those times when we mourn the death of political leaders. The funeral of Mr. Hoyte was therefore as the President mused a good time for us to contemplate on the value of life and the measure of men. Man is mortal; we all will one day go into that dark night. Rage we may at the fading of the light, but go we will someday. Death spares no one.

Death came like a thief in the night and took the late leader of the PNC Reform. However, his loss, as the president reminded us in his tribute, is not only in political terms but also one in human terms. The President recalled the periods in their dialogue, when away from the glare of the media and without technocrats and advisors, he got to know the human side of Hugh Desmond Hoyte.

These rich human encounters, according to the President, were enlivened by Hoyte’s personal grace, delightful banter and rich anecdotes. The leaders must have developed a healthy regard for one another other and grown to each other personally.

Public life involves enormous personal sacrifice. During his tribute to Hoyte, the President directing his comments to the sorrowing widow, Mrs. Joyce Hoyte, noted how the demands of public life constantly precedes the needs of the family and how considerations of country take precedence over concerns of the home. But he acknowledged, “ only the immense satisfaction of serving one’s people and labouring for one’s country are adequate compensation”