Dr. Emanuel Hosein, C.M. скачать в хорошем качестве

Dr. Emanuel Hosein, C.M.

We are perhaps socialised to think that courage and resilience are associated with physical prowess and muscularity and that therefore disability implies weakness or incapacity. Our fifth inductee gave the lie to that belief. At the age of eight, he contracted poliomyelitis which left him completely paralysed. He spent six months at the Port of Spain General Hospital undergoing multiple surgeries, followed by a year of intensive rehabilitation and further procedures at the Princess Elizabeth Home. Despite this, he passed the Common Entrance exam with flying colours entering St Mary’s College in 1962. At CIC, he distinguished himself, excelling academically and embracing the discipline, leadership, and commitment to service that would shape his future career. He obtained his medical degrees at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, Jamaica, where he was the first non-Jamaican and first medical student to be elected President of the Guild of Undergraduate Students. He also captained the UWI Men’s Table Tennis Team and coached the Jamaican Paraplegic Team. He returned to Trinidad to practise medicine and in 1981 he entered politics being elected Member of Parliament for Naparima and later Member of Parliament for Tunapuna for the National Alliance for Reconstruction. As Minister of Health he undertook the operationalisation of the Mt Hope Hospital complex and its integration into the national health system. He was also a key proponent of primary care and preventative medicine, helping to shape long-term health care policy in Trinidad and Tobago. One of his most widely remembered moments of service came during the 1990 attempted coup. While held hostage in the Red House, he remained calm and compassionate, even under threat, treating both fellow hostages and captors with humanity. He was credited with helping to save lives, including that of the Prime Minister, by advocating for urgently needed medical attention during the siege. Throughout his political career, he was a strong advocate for society’s most vulnerable. He played a leading role in the drafting and passage of the Domestic Violence Act of 1991, the first of its kind in the Caribbean. As Minister of Social Development, he described the legislation as a “first phase of social reform,” aimed at protecting women, children, and marginalized individuals. This groundbreaking legislation established mechanisms such as protection orders and laid the foundation for future policy advancements in the fight against gender-based violence. He was also a strong advocate for people with disabilities and served on the United Nations Panel of Experts on Disabilities as well as being the founding Chairman of the Trinidad and Tobago Chapter of Disabled Peoples’ International (TTDPI) leading advocacy efforts focused on accessibility, legal rights, and public awareness of disability issues. For his courage, public service, and an unwavering commitment to human dignity Dr. Emanuel Hosein is hereby inducted into the St Mary’s College Hall of Fame.