And as the official pallbearer Stanley Lizama found himself smack in the middle of that "flangalang." But he too felt that something was amiss admitting that despite what was a fitting send-off for a head of state, Dame Minita actually lived the last 15-20 years of her life alone.
And, once Alzheimer's set in, the former G.G. ended up living a life lacking any measure of grace - and this eminently "proper" woman often becomes an unwitting public spectacle.
It's certainly not part of the Great Dame Minita narrative, but it is part of her story, a moment in time when she, like so many neglected elders, had seemingly been forgotten.
Stanley Lizama, Family friend
"The older generation knows her well but the youths of today don't know who Dr., they don't know who she is. One time I went to buy along with my wife at Brodies, she got sick at Brodies and the guys started to laugh at her and pass all kinds of remarks and I told them you know who that woman is, nobody knew who she was. I went and helped her and I put her in a taxi and I sent her home, another time I lived on Second street, on the corner of second street and baymen, some kids were stoning her and I got out and I took off my belt and I lashed them, and one of them told me that he would have his uncle come after me. I told his uncle to come to my gate and when he heard what they had done to her he went home and lashed them."
"But she was a loving woman and careful but I think the government, I blame the government the two parties cause I think when you get to those when you have those posts you're supposed to be taken care of right through until you pass away. And I hope they learn from that."
