An official funeral was held this afternoon for Ambassador Oscar Ayuso Junior. The 51 year old businessman, former UDP Deputy Leader, and Senator shot himself on Saturday night. The funeral service was held at the Divine Mercy Church on the Northern Highway where Ayuso worshipped. The eulogy was delivered by David Hoy and there was an official tribute by Minister of Education and a close friend to Ayuso, Patrick Faber. The Prime Minister along with many Ministers of government and members of the diplomatic corps were all in attendance. Today Prime Minister Dean Barrow reflected with me on the life of his former deputy.
Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
“Condolences of course to the family. I am happy that we are able to do this official funeral this afternoon. I can’t imagine what his parents, his sisters, and of course his wife and children are going through. I just pray that God will give them the strength to deal
with this and of course I pray for eternal rest for his soul.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“How was he as a politician?”
Hon. Dean Barrow,
“As a politician Oscar was one of the most genuine people persons you could find. Not that he was immediately charismatic in the sense of getting on a rostrum and making pretty or powerful speeches but one on one in dealing with people, his humanity always shone through and that is what I will most remember about him. When people were in trouble, when people were suffering, when people had needs, you could see that that touched him personally. It is not a matter that well I have to deal with this because I am a politician and because they are my constituents, he actually genuinely felt for people and that was an outstanding quality I certainly will always remember about him.”
Barrow appointed Ayuso as a Senator for the UDP in 1999. Ayuso won the Caribbean Shores constituency convention in 2001 but lost the 2003 election against the then incumbent Jose Coye. He served as the UDP’s Deputy Leader from 1999 to 2005. He resigned as deputy leader in August of 2005, one day after losing the Caribbean Shores convention to Carlos Perdomo.
