Caribbean American Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams have added their voices to the outpouring of tributes to the late Grenada United Nations Ambassador Dr. Lamuel A. Stanislaus.
Dr. Stanislaus died on Sunday at a hospice in the Manhattan Beach section of Brooklyn, New York, where he was taken to, from his Brooklyn home, on Friday. He was 95.
Dr. Stanislaus, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, was confirmed dead by his wife, Beryl.
Shortly after celebrating his 95th birthday on April 22, Sir Lamuel told the Caribbean Life that he was “suffering with the ravages of cancer of the prostrate and cancer of the bones.”
“On behalf of myself, the Clarke Family and the people of the Ninth Congressional District of New York, I wish to respectfully offer my deepest and most heartfelt condolences on the passing of His Excellency Dr. Lamuel A. Stanislaus to his family, friends and to the people of Grenada, Carriacou and Petit Martinique,” said Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants.
As a highly-respected diplomat, Clarke said Sir Lamuel was renowned for his work as ambassador of Grenada to the United Nations, “where he formed partnerships with individuals such as New York State Governor Mario Cuomo and my esteemed predecessor, Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, to support the people of Grenada both at home and around the world.
“The contributions of Dr. Stanislaus, a native of Petite Martinique, Grenada, were also critical to establishing the West Indian Labor Day Parade, a beautiful celebration of culture that draws millions of people to central Brooklyn every year,” added, who was instrumental in Stanislaus receiving a U.S. Congressional Proclamation on his 95th birthday. “Known for his eloquent oratory, Dr. Stanislaus was not only an advocate for Grenadians, but he used his voice to advocate for all people of Caribbean decent and the Caribbean region from whence they have come.
“Dr. Stanislaus was a gentleman and a scholar with a wonderful sense of humor,” the congresswoman continued. “Indeed, he was a ‘Renaissance Man of sorts’”
Clarke said she was “deeply honored” to have known Dr. Stanislaus as “a dear friend,” adding that Sir Lamuel “will forever serve as testament to the fact that people of good faith have the ability to change the world and build a legacy that following generations will continue to enjoy.
“He will be sorely missed, but his legacy will live on through his family, friends and relations, and the many lives that he touched throughout his lifetime in service to others,” she said.
Adams said that, for decades, Stanislaus was “a bulwark of public service,” who was “a respected figure in Brooklyn’s Caribbean community, serving on the board of the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (CACCI).”
The Brooklyn Borough President also noted that Dr. Stanislaus was “a brainchild behind one of New York City’s largest parades, the West Indian Labor Day Parade, and for decades also practiced dentistry in Brooklyn.
“Dr. Stanislaus’ advocacy on behalf of the Caribbean-American community was immeasurable, and his presence will be sorely missed in our borough by all Brooklynites who care about community development and public service,” Adams said.
James Connolly, a Cayman Islands native, who had unsuccessfully sought elective office in New York City in the 1980s and 1990s, also told Caribbean Life that Dr. Stanislaus was “a Caribbean American icon,” adding that he was his mentor and friend.
“It was he who introduced me to the political arena in the 1980s,” Connolly said. “He personally took me to meet the Hon. Shirley Chisholm, who later became my political godmother.
“My condolences to his family,” he added. “He will be missed.”
The family said Stanislaus’ funeral service will be held at a Roman Catholic Church in Brooklyn on Saturday morning.
