PM gives details of’Lisa died hugging her child’
Senior Reporter
dareece.polo@guardian.co.tt
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has expressed profound admiration for the bravery and selflessness of Lisa Morris-Julian, highlighting her ultimate sacrifice as she tried to protect two of her children during a devastating fire that claimed all three of their lives on Monday.
Dr Rowley shared this heartfelt revelation during a memorial service hosted by the Ministry of Education at its St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain headquarters to honour Morris-Julian’s memory yesterday.
“To think of losing her and being told that she may have been hugging her child to her chest as she passed away from the flames; those of you who have children, it’s an assignment that you would never want to have but she had it,” he told a room full of mourners, many of whom were moved to tears during the ceremony.
“She was a gem. She was easy to work with. She was easy to live with. She was a community person. She was a tower of strength without any noise to make it known,” he added.
Rowley recalled the last time he saw the late minister at the Christmas celebration he hosted at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s on Saturday. He said Morris-Julian attended with her husband Daniel and, true to her character, was “happy, gentle, talking to everybody” before taking pictures with his family and quietly making her exit through the crowd.
Giving her his highest praise, Rowley described her as the best of the best within his Government.
“I was never to know that that was the last time I would be seeing the best representative in the Government of Trinidad and Tobago,” he stated.
The Prime Minister revealed he first learned of Morris-Julian’s passing from his wife, who approached him with the tragic news. He recounted the overwhelming grief that followed, robbing him of sleep.
“I woke up to discover that I was covered in tears. I didn’t know when I was crying but I was covered in tears because the loss of Lisa Morris, to me, is… it comes close to wanting to question faith… How could this be?”
He also spoke of his trepidation regarding her funeral, the details of which are yet to be disclosed.
“As I speak to you now, I dread the day of the funeral, when I expect that it will all hang out from all of us,” he said.
Despite the sadness, he expressed hope that Morris-Julian’s life would serve as a reminder of the nobility of public service, describing her as the truest example of dedication and sacrifice.
Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, visibly shaken throughout the ceremony, shared emotional reflections on her colleague and friend.
“If there was one thing that defined Lisa, it was her dedication to her family and to her children. She lived that way in life and she died that way and I don’t think there was any other way that Lisa would have chosen,” she said.
Gadsby-Dolly recalled Morris-Julian’s unwavering love for children, which was evident during her time at the ministry. She revealed that Morris-Julian had chosen to oversee early childhood care and education centres, ensuring they received the attention they deserved, even during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Being part of the ministry, Gadsby-Dolly noted, was one of Morris-Julian’s proudest achievements.
The memorial service, officiated by Fr Robert Christo, was on the ministry’s ground floor, a space typically occupied by staff and security personnel.
Several Government officials attended to pay their respects, including Communications Minister Symon de Nobriga; Public Administration Minister Hassel Bacchus; Agriculture Minister Kazim Hosein; Youth Development Minister Foster Cummings; Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan; Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh; Attorney General Reginald Armour; Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon; Minister in the Ministry of Transport Rishi Sookhai; Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture Avinash Singh and Deputy House Speaker Esmond Forde.
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