by Hon. Peter David, MP for the Town of St George and Minister of Foreign Affairs & Labour
I want to express my very deep sadness on the passing of Dr Winston Thomas. I also extend heartfelt condolences to his children, brothers, sisters, his mother and other surviving relatives, as well as his many, many friends.
I was honoured to know Dr Thomas as a friend, political confidante, comrade in struggle, and my medical doctor.
The qualities of perseverance, empathy, hard work, activism and love of people, which Dr Thomas exhibited in his adult professional life, were nurtured early in his youth. He was an ardent sportsman of his community on the Carenage and at St George’s Anglican School and at the Grenada Boys’ Secondary School.
He was one of hundreds of students who, under the People’s Revolutionary Government, earned scholarships to Cuba, where he graduated with a medical degree. He returned to Grenada and used each day of his life to build a better nation as medical doctor, as a political activist and as a trade unionist. Dr Thomas’s many roles included Vice-President of the Public Workers’ Union, Chairman of the Grenada-Venezuela Friendship Association and Chairman of the Town of St George Constituency Branch of the New National Party. I am grateful to him for his leadership role in helping me get elected as MP for the Town of St George on 3 occasions, including 2018.
Equally, he completely immersed himself in providing healthcare to his fellow Grenadians, spending more than 20 years as a medical practitioner at the General Hospital. On his private time, he would travel many miles to provide service to a sick person, free of charge. From his own pocket, he would pay for their medicine and provide the fare that someone would need to take a bus to carry them home. This dedication and service to people earned him the rightful and well-deserved title, “The People’s Doctor’’.
I’ve reached out to Dr Thomas’ family to offer my condolences, and I pledge myself to do everything within my power to ensure that Dr Thomas is appropriately recognised for his medical contribution to the nation. Dr Thomas was a true patriot and a genuine internationalist and I owe him a debt of gratitude.
Long live the memory and legacy of Dr Winston Thomas, a humble and selfless servant to the people of Grenada.
