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James Ramnath was born June 03, 1910, in the little rural village of Caratal. Married in 1936, had five sons, two of whom are resident in Canada, one in Miami and two in Trinidad. He has lived in Guaico close to his brother in a close knit family. His wife died in 1996.
He received his primary education in Cumuto Presbyterian School. As honors student, he served as pupil teacher; he then entered the Naparima Training College for teachers. He graduated in 1932 as a trained certificate teacher, topping the graduating class with distinctions in four subjects.
He was promoted to the principalship of the Cumuto Presbyterian School as from December 01, 1950, and after twenty years in administrative post. He retired in 1970. he influenced high ranking personalities to visit rural Cumuto, unclosing: their Excellencies the Governors, Sir John Shaw, Sir Hubert and Lady Rance, who planted a tree on the school compound; the First Indian Commissioners and Miss Joyce Burnham, Social Welfare Officer, Mr.Ramnath served as Manager of the Cunaripo and Cumuto Presbyterian schools for many years.
He was an elder in the Morton Memorial church and subsequently earned the status Honorary Elder. He assists with preaching when asked by the minister. He has kept services on Laymen’s Sunday for over 25 years, he has been there to guide many youth along their way.
In 1967, he was with the Board of Men, Trinidad when it made a visit to Montréal Canada. In 1970, Mr.Ramnath visited Canada along with his wife and a group of church members under the leadership of reverends Geraldine Reid. The group toured from Toronto to Vancouver Island, travelling by coach and overnighting in each of the provinces as guests of the congregation, Mr.Ramnath was the spokesperson on most of the occasions. He preached the sermons at the Thornhill Presbyterian Church in Toronto and in the Arborg Christian fellowship in Manatoba in august 1997. He was recognized by the PCTT as one of its outstanding laymen, and was such was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation for Past and Services at the Board of Men
He was appointed by the Minister of Education to be a member of the Community, Education, Committee for St.Andrew/ St.David in 1951 for two consecutive terms.
• He served on the Entertainment Committee of the British Red Cross Society. Also in 1951 and was appointed by H.E. the Governor as a member of the Fire Vigilance Committee, and then at St.Andrew/St.David.
• He organized the Cumuto Agricultural Credit Society in 1952 and was its Secretary for 60 years and was also Secretary of the Tamana Tax Payers Association. He was Secretary of the Matura Cricket Cup Competition for 1949 on and greatly assisted Dr..W.E.Gocking in extending the Mobile Library Service in rural East Trinidad.
• He was appointed a member of the Local Public Assistance Board for 3 consecutive terms starting in 1974
• He assisted school leavers in finding employment and also let the Cumuto Variety Entertainment Troop
In the year 1944, he organized the Cumuto Welfare Association. Since then he had been the Secretary-Manager. As such he worked unceasingly to make persons in the community aware of the plight of the ‘disabled’, less fortunate and under-privileged in the society- made them feel that society has a compelling duty to help improve the quality of life of the poor and needy, the blind and homeless as; The Caura Sanitarium, The General Hospital (POS), The School for the Blind Children in Santa Cruz, The Ambassadors for Christ Home in Sangre Grande, The Memisa Centre for the Mentally Retarded in Arima, the Geriatric After-Care Centre of the Sangre Grande Hospital, the Prisons and the Youth Training Centre in Arouca, the Leprosarium in Chacachacare, the Geriatric Ward, County Hospital in Tobago and the Senior Citizens Homes in Sangre Grande.
To help improve the quality of life of the inmates of these institutions the Welfare Association hosted musical and variety concerts and presented radios, wheel chairs etc.
As the newspaper columnist he contributed valuable and thought provoking dissertations on a wide variety of tropical questions as Measures to Counter Rising Crime Threat, Expansion of Rice Industry, and Development of the Tourist Industry.
James has received many awards for his work;
• Award of Merit for dedicated community service, by the St. Andrew/ St.David Country Council in 1988
• As a celebration of 151 years of East Indian Presence, the Guaico Presbyterian School
• North-Eastern College, Sangre Grande for long and meritorious service to the community.
He has come to the boarders of life with sound mind, some hearing difficulty, but with a keen interest still in world affairs, the church oriented activities and his much endeared family. His daily job is the discipline of his soul and his spiritual growth and his deepening of his acquaintance with God.
He accepts life’s disciplines and avoids petty selfishness. Above all he looks forward with preparedness to the last human experience that is in store for him as for all mankind not as an end but a new dawn, a new beginning.
‘Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is as strong as death, passions fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame. ’ Solomon 8:6
Many blessings to You Mr. James Ramnath and thanks for a job well done. We wish you 100 plus!
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De Dragon wrote:In 1967, he was with the Board of Men, Trinidad when it made a visit to Montréal Canada. In 1970, Mr.Ramnath visited Canada along with his wife and a group of church members under the leadership of reverends Geraldine Reid.
Mrs Reid christened me! I have photos of her holding me as a baby!
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