Wednesday, January 07, 2015 | 2:56 AM
The Editor:
The tragic news came from a telephone call at 8:44 A.M. this morning that Martin Joseph passed away. The news had me stumped. I then called his house and could not get confirmation of his death. I subsequently telephoned Andre Monteil, a long standing friend of mine at whose home in Tobago, Martin was vacationing.
Monteil was in a shaken state. He said Joseph, one of his best and closest friends, had died after they had finished exercising. He said Martin went for a swim. The rest of the story after that was too tragic to recall.
The tears rolled from my eyes. My friends Peter George and Peter Albert were simultaneously on my home phone and cell phones, when a what’s app message with a picture of Martin lying motionless on the sand popped open. It was the trigger for the crying I tried to keep inside. Uncontrollably, I wept openly for my dear and closest friend, Martin Rupert Joseph.
Our relationship goes back 22 years from his time as Chairman of the Public Transport Service Corporation PTSC and NIB. Martin and myself struck up a relationship after discovering that despite what people said about him, in fact he was a dedicated, honest, and hardworking professional, who was a far cut above the average. Deadlines meant something to him, and he was always about getting the job done, not seeking praise.
We subsequently developed a professional relationship after we worked on a successful general election campaign consultancy in Grenada in the late 1990’s.
After that we came together to work on the Mayaro general elections campaign in 2002, after Franklin Khan had lost twice to Winston Gypsy Peters. The team of Martin Joseph, Andre Monteil and myself made this seat the most valued and heavily battled seat in the country, as it was seen as the link to PNM winning government. When the smoke cleared, Mayaro was won, the PNM since then has not been able to retain the seat, defaulting back to Mr. Peters. However, Mayaro was key to holding government, and with that victory a lot was achieved after regaining office.
PNM was able to double the GDP of Trinidad and Tobago leading to a surge in the quality of life among the citizenry in the country. That era ushered in revolutionary policies such as free treatment for HIV patients, who before were left to rot and die on our streets, free drugs for the entire population suffering with chronic diseases, free tertiary education, expansion of Foreign Direct Investment in the oil, gas and petro chemical sectors, a heritage and stabilization fund was introduced for the first time in our history.
Martin always said that these were positive achievements for a developing country, a little late but necessary, if we were to bring people out of feeling hopeless and debilitated. He said that the 2002 election was important because it facilitated and allowed these positive developments to occur, which he was satisfied would benefit Trinidad in the near future.
Since 1998 Martin and myself worked closely and consulted on several elections in Barbados, Local Government Elections in Trinidad, and THA elections, and sundry other activities, too many to mention.
Martin and I worked closely in the Ministry of Housing where he was able to develop and implement a comprehensive national Housing Policy which eventually built 27,000 homes, the most by any Minister or administration since Independence. We worked closely at the Ministry of Public Utilities, and through SWMCOL was able to treat with landfill management issues by re-establishing proper waste disposal infrastructure and systems. The idea of a fire burning at a landfill had stopped by 2003 under the then tenure of Mr. Ray Brathwaite then Executive Chairman of SWMCOL.
Last, but not the least, was our stint at the Ministry of National Security, where he attempted to bring about change by trying to transform the entire law enforcement system.
Martin always said that it is easy to condemn in public, but it does not augur well for those on the receiving end of such criticism, as it ultimately makes the organization look bad, and affects positive outcomes and performance.
He preferred to take the ire of negative public opinion, than give in to the demands of the gallery. His famous quote was to “Praise in public” but “criticize in private”. He lived by that mantra. He also believed in the old saying “walk softly and carry a big stick”. Martin was an eternal diplomat.
Many did not know he was Chair of CICTE, the OAS Department for Counter Terrorism, and while there was able to achieve a lot and earned the respect of regional leaders. He always involved us in work beyond our pay grade
But Martin also helped shaped CARICOM Security Policy, which was not really cohesive, by developing policy eventually leading to the formation of CARICOM IMPACS, the regional security apparatus.
Our time at National Security was difficult. A lot of unfortunate criticism was levelled at Martin, some because it was political, others because of his loyalty to the leadership of the PNM.
Martin and I had our differences. We stopped talking to each other for two years until I got a call from him late one night after a thief had broken into his flag staff home and held him up at gunpoint. He was petrified, but showed bravery and managed to overpower the criminal and escaped being shot.
I was surprised to be among the first persons he called. I immediately went down to his home.
From then onwards, at least once or twice per month, when I am in Trinidad, we would meet.
Martin was a forthright individual. He had few close friends namely; Richardson Franklin (Former Special Technical Adviser for National Security) Andre Monteil, Mariano Browne and myself. But he had many acquaintances and skilfully kept people in compartments. Martin remained dedicated to the PNM, believing that the party was a source of personal empowerment and accomplishment for Trinidad and Tobago as a Nation.
My dear friend, we have fought many battles together, victorious on all occasions. You are gone now to a better place, may your great legacy of honesty, fortitude, humility, temperance, and strength of purpose transcend to a better society and world.
Your friend,
David Fraser
David Fraser, a Journalist and Communication Consultant, is Chairman of The Angellus Foundation in Trinidad and Executive Consultant at MSPACE Ltd., a regional project management organization.
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REMEMBERING TRINIDAD’S FORMER MINISTER OF SECURITY - Legacy of a humble man
FILE: Feb. 25, 2010: Former Rep. James Traficant, D-Ohio, at a diner in Boardman, Ohio. (AP)