By Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News |
GUYANA — In a day marked by solemn state and political ceremonies, former Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), constitutional Leader of the Opposition, and Deputy Prime Minister Robert Herman Orlando Corbin, CCH, was laid to rest on Thursday, October 15, 2026, following a multi-stage funeral itinerary that drew dignitaries from across the political spectrum.
Corbin, who passed away on October 4, 2026, at the age of 78, was honored during farewell ceremonies that commenced with political tributes at Congress Place, Sophia, moved to the forecourt of Parliament Buildings, Brickdam, and culminated in a funeral service at St. Andrew’s Kirk on Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown. His remains were subsequently transported to the West Coast of Demerara for cremation at the Ruimzigt Crematorium.
Leaders spanning government, opposition benches, and the legislative assembly joined family members, veteran party comrades, and citizens to reflect on a career of public service spanning five decades.
Aubrey Norton: ‘Corbin’s Youth Legacy Remains Unparalleled’
Addressing the congregation at St. Andrew’s Kirk, current Leader of the PNCR Aubrey Norton emphasized Corbin’s foundational role in molding generations of civic and political leaders through the party’s youth apparatus in the 1960s and 1970s:
- Pioneer of Youth Mobilization: Norton recalled that Corbin’s early work heading the Young Socialist Movement (YSM) was so prolific that his influence became legendary within party ranks.
- Building a National Youth Cadre: Norton noted that Corbin transformed youth organizing into a structured training pipeline that produced thousands of administrators, public servants, and community organizers.
“He trained thousands of young people who joined our youth arm and served the PNC and ensured that we had the most powerful youth organization of that period,” Norton affirmed.
President Irfaan Ali & Speaker Nadir: A Statesman of National Transitions
Delivering tribute, Head of State President Dr. Irfaan Ali recognized Corbin’s role in navigating Guyana through critical macroeconomic and constitutional transitions:
- Witness to Historic Shifts: President Ali observed that Corbin’s career stretched from the era of extensive state control over the economy through the challenging years of structural adjustment, economic liberalization, and the consolidation of democratic institutionalism.
- Broad Perspectives: The President emphasized that Corbin’s decades in public life afforded him a deep understanding of the forces shaping national destiny and the everyday challenges facing Guyanese citizens.
“Robert Corbin acquired an unusually broad perspective on the forces shaping the country and the challenges confronting its people,” President Ali stated.
Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir also paid tribute, highlighting Corbin’s nearly twenty years in high executive office as a Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Minister, and Deputy Prime Minister:
“Many times, we forget the unsung heroes, efforts, and sacrifices so that we can be where we are,” Speaker Nadir reflected, emphasizing that no one can deny Corbin’s lasting imprint on national development and the lives of the Guyanese people.
Final Rites and Committal Schedule in Linden
Following the death of former President Hugh Desmond Hoyte, Corbin assumed party leadership and was formally elected Leader of the PNCR at a Special Congress on February 1, 2003, serving until he was succeeded by David Granger in July 2012.
While his remains were cremated on Thursday at Ruimzigt, final committal rites and interment will take place in his hometown of Linden, Region Ten, on Saturday, October 17, 2026:
- 8:00 AM: Departure of the funeral cortège from Georgetown.
- 10:00 AM: Arrival at 36 Stewart Path, Christianburg, Linden.
- 11:00 AM: Solemn walk to St. Matthew’s Presbyterian Church.
- 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM: Service of Commendation and Committal at St. Matthew’s Presbyterian Church.
- 12:30 PM: Ceremonial committal of ashes into the Demerara River, between the mouths of the Muraru and Katabulli creeks.
- 1:30 PM: Final interment of remains at the Corbin family gravesite located in the historic Christianburg Scots Church Cemetery.
