Minister Matthew – By Kisean Joseph
Minister Matthew Reflects Friendship
Education Minister and MP for St John’s Rural South Daryll Matthew paid an emotional tribute to his predecessor, the late Eustace “Teco” Lake, at a candlelight vigil in his honour last night, describing a relationship that began as an unlikely friendship, was tested by political transition, and ultimately found peace in Lake’s final days.
Minister Matthew recalled that the two men first crossed paths around 2013 or 2014, when Lake attended a birthday gathering at his home through a mutual friend in parliament.
“Teco came along and we became friends at my home. So he came to every birthday party I had after that. We became very good friends,” Matthew said.
However, the minister acknowledged that the warmth between them was tested when he emerged as the parliamentary candidate to succeed Lake, who had been battling kidney disease. Matthew says Lake, despite his medical challenges, had not fully come to terms with the idea that his political career was over.
“At the time of the transition from himself to me, it was a very tense period because I believe that he was in a place where, despite his medical challenges, he didn’t think that he would have been able to run and be a part of a campaign,” the minister said.
Despite the tension, Matthew says their friendship gradually rekindled over the years, culminating in a hospital visit shortly before Lake’s passing — a conversation the minister described as one of closure and mutual understanding.
“We spoke about it, had a bit of a laugh, and he even indicated to me that in hindsight, not running in that 2018 campaign probably saved his life. The rigors of a campaign would have probably been more than his body could take,” Matthew recalled.
The minister used the occasion to publicly commend Lake’s decades of service to the country and his constituency, and to extend condolences to his family.
“When someone contributes years of their life to country and to service to the country and the constituency, it is something that ought to be commended. I want to publicly thank him, thank his family for lending him to us, and I pray that his soul rests in peace,” Matthew said.
