RDC 10 Councillor ‘Gem’ Narine is dead

REGIONAL DEMOCRATIC COUNCILLOR (RDC) REGION TEN MEMBER
SERJONIE ‘GEM’ NARINE DIED TUESDAY at the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC).
Narine was 45.
Unofficially, the Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) RDC representative, mother of two
sons and entrepreneur who lived in Speightlan in the bauxite-mining town, is believed to have
contracted the dreaded COVID-19 disease leading to her death.
A source asking for anonymity recalled it very strange when opposition A Partnership for
National Unity, Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) member, Mr. Mark Goring, tendered an
excuse for the late Narine’s absence from the last RDC Statutory Meeting and not one of her PPP
colleagues.
There was a quiet debate among some RDC members whether that signalled Narine’s falling out
of favour with her PPP colleagues, or, if she was forging a better relationship with the opposition
APNU+AFC councillors.
“Gem will be missed as she played an active role on the Regional Democratic Council and many
appreciated her contributions. She was not one who was vocal really at meetings, but she was
someone who was able in getting the work done in the fields. I think that is what many admired
her for,” some RDC employees reminisced in conversation with www.aroundtheregions.com.
RDC member Mr. Norris King said members are in deep shock by her sudden passing, although
they knew she was a little ‘under the weather’ for the last two weeks.
“But no one anticipated her dying,” King said.
Narine, King said, was unaware of her COVID-19 positive status and thought her constant
coughing was from the common cold which she treated lightly.
“By the time she found out, it was too late,” King recalled.

Her death, “literally shocked everybody, it shocked everybody. Gem was one of the hardest
working Councillors that we had and she was always concerned about this community of Linden,
especially in the areas where indigenous people reside. Gem was a Councillor that anyone could
have related to, you could have stopped her anyway and talked with her. Regardless of her
political affiliation she was one of the persons that understands development of communities and
that was her mantra,” King said.
www.aroundtheregions.com contacted several RDC members but many admitted being too
overcome by the news to be able to do an interview.
“She was a giant in her own way. She always ensured that once she could help she helped as she
believed in making a meaningful contribution to growth and development irrespective of one’s
political persuasion,” one who was willing to talk said.
Longtime friend and fellow RDC member, Coretta Braithwaite-Walton, a life-long friend-turned-
sister of the late ‘Gem’ was devastated by the news.
“This was my sister, it is shocking! This was my soldier, my good soldier! This is really
shocking. We lost an excellent Councillor. One of the great things about Gem is that she never
saw things politically as she tried to help anyone who needed the help. We worked together as a
team and I will miss Gem, my sister. The Council wouldn’t be the same as we will miss her
deeply,” Braithwaite-Walton said.
www.aroundtheregions.com reached out to Regional Chairman Mr. Deron Adams who is
overseas for his father’s funeral. However, at the time of contacting him the funeral service
was being conducted and he promised a statement later Tuesday evening.