A new book about the career of Sonny Ramphal is a reminder of his immense contribution in time for his 80th birthday - as Caribbean diplomat, Commonwealth Secretary-General from 1975-1990, key player in a series of global commissions, and warm human being. In the absence of any biography or autobiography, it is likely to be a long-lasting aide memoire both for the man, and the issues with which he engaged.

The book, published by Hansib Books in July 2008, includes personal reflections, Southern African issues and the struggle against apartheid, his Caribbean status and the Grenada affair, the Commonwealth context within which he worked, including his relations with Margaret Thatcher, and his role for the Lomé Convention and development cooperation.

The essay writers, writing independently of each other, are those who have either collaborated with him, or studied his career at close quarters: Moni Malhoutra, former Assistant Secretary-General for the Commonwealth; Rex Nettleford, emeritus Vice-Chancellor, University of the West Indies; Patsy Robertson, formerly spokesperson for Ramphal; S K Rao, formerly head of Strategic Planning at the Commonwealth Secretariat; Sir Ronald Sanders, formerly High Commissioner for Antigua and Barbuda; Anthony Payne, professor of politics at Sheffield Unversity; Derek Ingram, veteran journalist; Guy Arnold, African historian; James Manor, professor of Commonwealth studies at London University; Kaye Whiteman, former head of information at the Commonwealth Secretariat; Bishnodat Persaud, emeritus professor at the University of West Indies; and Vincent Cable, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, UK.

David Dabydeen has written a poem as a prologue. This illustrated, 65,000 word book is edited by Richard Bourne, senior research fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies and secretary to the Ramphal Centre Committee. Warwick University, where Ramphal was a much appreciated Chancellor, is donating copies to the library of every university in membership of the Association of Commonwealth Universities.

The lumps of gold which Raleigh grasped
For, digging up mountains, trawling
Lakes, losing countless men, a beloved
Son, his own sanity and head.
His maps were confused, directionless.
Gold slipped from his grasp
Like breath. He brough back only
News of the dead.

Three centuries and more since he sighted land.
Another sea crossing, another stranger
Came to El Dorado’s shore,
From India, shovel, cutlass in hand,
Cleared space in the canefield, a manger
For his wife. On the seventh day his work
Was done. The child she bore:
Shridath, pathway to a golden sun.

David Dabydeen