Primus’ life celebrated

Primus, a well-known economist and attorney died at about 7 am on Sunday at Westshore Medical Centre in Cocorite. Primus was ailing for over two weeks and died of heart failure in the presence of his wife and some of his children.

He was cremated following a funeral service at the Church of the Assumption in Maraval. Primus worked at several companies including the Industrial Development Corporation, Trinidad Bagasse Company, The Energy Secretariat, Trinidad-Tesoro Petroleum Company, Orange Grove National Sugar Company and National Gas Company. He also worked at several government appointed committees and boards.

It was during those years, he became involved in the private sector serving as Chairman of Money Managers Ltd, Trintovac Development Ltd, Tobago Holidays Ltd and Furness Trinidad Ltd.

He Hung said Primus who was St Lucian by birth, was an achiever throughout his life. He said the multi-lingual lawyer became involved with labour unions in the 1960s and was a major contributor to the strengthening of the labour movement in association with labour giants like Bowrin, Weekes and CLR James.

“Indeed Ben was considered too ‘ultra left wing’ and was identified in a commission of enquiry in the 1960s as having too radical views,” he said. He Hung said Primus encouraged research into establishing the feasibility of aluminium smelting in Trinidad and Tobago using TT’s natural gas and imported alumina to produce aluminium.

This, he said, contributed to “a fundamental transformation of our economy which was a wider concept to make TT a developed society.” Father Mic-hael Moses, in his homily said Primus never liked shortcuts.

He said if people adhered to his example, “we would not be reaping the whirlwind of our shortcuts, socially and politically, in our country today”. Judging from his achievements, Fr Moses said, Primus had been “a benefit to the country and his family.”

He leaves to mourn wife Argelia; sons Brandon, Minder, Ian and George; daughters Simone, Elizabeth and Judy and his grandchildren.