In Celebration of the Life of Tim Hector, Pan Africanist, Revolutionary

Timoshenko (Tim) Leonard Hector, Pan Africanist, African Revolutionary and Socialist was born in the Caribbean island of Antigua on 24th November 1942. He died there on Tuesday 12th November 2002, just ten days short of his sixtieth birthday. Tim was among the group of young radical intellectuals born in the Caribbean who matured in the 1960s and choose to fight and die on the battlefield for Socialism, African Liberation and the liberation of the oppressed every where. Among these must be numbered Walter Rodney Guyana), Maurice Bishop (Grenada) and Rosie Douglas (Dominica).

Both Rodney and Bishop were killed by the American Central Intelligence Agency. It is also thought that the CIA had a hand in the killing of Rosie Douglas, all friends and comrades of Hector.

He came to prominence in the Caribbean as a founder Member of the Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement. In his latter years, he represented the Caribbean national Movement. He is a former contributor and Editor-in-Chief of the Antigua Star. He posted a weekly article FAN THE FLAME on the internet (http://www.candw.ag/~jardinea/fanflame.htm) where his writings can be found.

Among these is his Tribute/eulogy for Dominican Prime Minister Rosie Douglas and his four part "There can be no worthwhile Antiguan vision, which is not part of a Caribbean nation."

He was a prominent Pan Africanist, Socialist and activist on the Caribbean and international political scene. Although he did not assume the seat of power as did Bishop and Douglas, he was extremely influential and made a great contribution in the drive towards a Caribbean Union.

On the international arena, he was a member of the World Mathaba from its inception and served as a member of its executive Committee. I had hear dof tim for a long time but first met him (and Rosie) at the Second Mondial Congress of the World Mathaba held in Tripoli (Libya) in 1986. We also attended The Gathering of the African Revolutionary and Progressive Forces (1986) and the Mathaba Conference (2000).

At this Conference, he was the final speaker after speeches from Presidents Robert Mufabe (Zimbabwe), Blaize Compoare (Burkina Faso), Sam Nujoma (Namibia), Idris Derby (Chad), Alpha Konarie (Mali), Yahya Jammeh (Gambia), Abdoulai Wade (Senegal); Prime Minister Rosie Douglas (Dominica), Louis Farrakhan (Nation of Islam) and Daniel Ortega of the Sandinastas (Nicaragua). He wrote about this in his tribute to Rosie Douglas (see Fan The Flame). He organised a visit of Caribbean Prime Ministers from the Organisation of eastern Caribbean States to Libya in 2001. He described this mission to Libya as "An unqualified success."

The last time I saw Tim, we were stuck behind the immigration barriers at Barcelona airport overnight with George Odlum (St.Lucia) and a Brother from Barbados waiting to catch a morning flight to London. Because we did not Have European Union passports, they would not let us beyond the immigration barriers.

As the poet Martin Carter said, and as he said of Rosie Douglas, "Death will not find us thinking that we die."

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