Cuffy-Dowlat’s funeral today

Cuffy-Dowlat, 59, was taken to the Mt Hope Hospital, Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, after she fell ill at her home on April 10. She had been battling diabetes for a while. Up to the time of her passing, she was also a radio talk show host. Cuffy-Dowlat became well known for her outspokenness on national issues, was a founding member of the Congress of the People (COP) and contested general elections on two occasions. In 2007 she contested the Oropouche seat and in 2010 she challenged late prime minister Patrick Manning for the San Fernando East seat as a People’s Partnership candidate. Cuffy-Dowlat lost on both occasions but earned quite a name for herself in the public arena for gaining 6,109 votes against Manning who was political leader of the People’s National Movement and who retained the seat with 9,736 votes.

Condolences have been expressed by many politicians including former Housing Minister John Humphrey who remembered her as parliamentary secretary in his ministry in 2012. Dr Allen Sammy who is managing director of Sou Sou Lands Limited, said Cuffy-Dowlat was a director up to the time of her death. She was the mother of two children and a grandmother of five.

Yesterday, former health minister Dr Fuad Khan said he knew Cuffy-Dowlat since 1995 when he first contested general elections and his best memory of her was her attempt to bridge the United National Congress and the COP as coalition political parties.

“In the course of this principled struggle, one could not fail to see her determination and dedication, not only to uniting these two factions at the leadership level, but also its members,” Khan said.

“During the founding of the People’s Partnership, and subsequent to the coalition demitting office, Carol contributed important analytical advice and opinions, confident of her immense and increasing political influence among the working class, youth and intellectuals.” The funeral takes place at 9 am at her home at Oasis Greens, Egypt Village, Endeavour, Chaguanas.

She will be cremated at the Waterloo Cremation site.