It was a magnificent setting for a memorial service; John Wesley's Chapel in the City of London. Here, Wesley was buried in 1778, here in 2003 Desmond Hoyte was remembered by his UK supporters. The mother church of Methodism played host to a political party which owed more to it than to Marxism. They came, they saw, they prayed, they listened, they remembered HDH.
Finally, there were three hundred and twenty in total, even taking account of Guyana Meantime. The last arrival a full hour and a quarter after the start of the ceremony. All were there to honour Hoyte on what would have been his birthday had he lived. It was a simple but moving event, as befitted the man and the location, but one that lasted too long. Three hours is well beyond the stamina of even the most fervent supporter.
The cast assembled to pay homage was a very distinguished one. Baroness Valerie Amos took time off from her shuttle round Africa vote-getting for the USA-UK position on Iraq in the UN to attend, and to laud Hoyte as a "real democrat" who had "died before the dialogue could be resumed." She, like others, spoke of his wide interests outside politics, especially in literature, which she said he "used to restore his equilibrium."
Equally distinguished former Secretary General of the Commonwealth Sir 'Sonny' Ramphal was as warm in his tribute. He admired Desmond Hoyte's "intellectual honesty," and recalled the story of how Burnham had consulted him on his successor and revealed that he had chosen Hoyte for this very rare quality which he recognised in him. "Guyana owes Desmond Hoyte a monumental debt for establishing democratic landmarks. He offered a confident passage to a new era," Ramphal told the service.
The more personal and moving tributes came from Ron Sanders and Kads Khan who had served Hoyte as a PNC MP. He lauded HDH for his "magnanimity," and in somewhat reverse logic declared "Mikhail Gorbachev is the Desmond Hoyte of the Soviet Union." Sir Ron Sanders, Anguillan Ambassador and former GBC General Manager was slick in his eulogy. He, like others, recalled the epithet "Desmond Persaud" which some of his supporters used to attack Hoyte's supposed bias towards Indo-Guyanese, but "There was no racism is his mind or his manner. He was deeply motivated to heal Guyana's racial wounds."
Amongst the four other speakers in tribute, High Commissioner to London Laleshwar Singh said "Guyana is indebted to Mr Hoyte for fostering hope and optimism." Eight in total, in general there were too many tributes which went on for too long.
The musical tributes, on the other hand, were brief and stunning. Keith Waithe played two brilliant flute solos. Sol Raye sang a beautiful Nunc Dimittis, and Barbara Van Praag a soulful Going Home. Vicars, ministers, pandits and imams from all of Guyana's main religions blessed the proceedings.
At the end the congregation retreated for a well-earned Guyanese repast of crab sandwiches, fish balls and patties. And a good gaff. Then having entering in spring sunshine, they left Wesley's Chapel in the dusk with their memories of the service and of Hugh Desmond Hoyte fresh in their minds.