Sport – Honoured to play alongside Clive

Just as I was feeling annoyed by the irresponsible behaviour of some young footballers of the Secondary Schools Football League, there came the news of Clive Pantin’s passing.

I first met Clive when he was one of my teachers at Fatima College, trying to get me to learn Spanish properly. This friendly and often jovial teacher was a member of the well-known Pantin family; three of his siblings dedicated their lives to the Church.

He turned out to be a sports master whose dedication to the major sports at the school was demonstrated on and off the cricket, hockey and football fields. As a sportsman, Clive was a competent medium-fast bowler for the Queen’s Park Cricket Club, and despite his pint-size frame, he was a quick-footed footballer whose name has been written into the annals of the history of the Casuals Football Club.

I had the honour of playing in two of the three matches in which he represented Trinidad & Tobago, an experience which I enjoyed immensely. At Fatima College, he was instrumental in building and exposing the talent of both Joey Carew and myself, as he often chose to bowl to us in the practice nets.

When he became principal of Fatima College, I continued interacting with him as my three sons attended the school and ironically, were in a sport stream similar to my own.

After serving as principal, he moved into the political arena where he eventually became the Minister of Education in the government of the National Alliance for Reconstruction.

Clive definitely would not have been happy over the present spate of ill-discipline among some of the leading secondary schools in the country. He insisted that the youth of the nation be exemplars of good behaviour.

I have had the opportunity to meet with all the Pantin family members of his generation and the experience was refreshing to me especially when it came to their religious practices.

To the Pantins, on behalf of all the persons who had the privilege to be in contact with Clive in their lifetime, we share your sorrow and extend our condolences to each and every one of this well-known family.

May Clive Pantin rest in peace in the presence of his Master, and ask Him to forgive us all our sins.