SXMElections.com

PHILIPSBURG--A large number of persons from the community bade farewell to veteran trade unionist Patricia Pantophlet, who was laid to rest during a ceremony at the Philipsburg Methodist Church, where she was a congressional steward, on Friday.

Pantophlet (57) passed away in Bogota, Colombia, on Friday, August 1, after a period of illness. She had been a very vocal trade union leader who championed the rights of workers in St. Maarten for many years. She had been battling lupus for some time. She fell ill and was airlifted to Colombia on July 10.

Pantophlet was also a member of the Alzheimer's Foundation, former member of the advisory body on matters related to civil servants GOA, a member of the Philipsburg Methodist Church and member of the Pantophlet Villas Foundation, which had been close to her heart as many students received assistance via the foundation.

She worked as a dismissal and complaints officer at the Labour Affairs Department for 38 years. She also was the first president of the Windward Islands Chamber of Labour Unions (WICLU). The Labour Department closed on Friday so that her former colleagues could attend her funeral services.

She was also a Titular member of Public Service International (PSI) and was fondly referred to as one of the "Power Puff Girls" along with Elshot for their efforts in the labour field.

Pantophlet was the sister of National Alliance (NA) number-two candidate Member of Parliament George Pantophlet. She has received glowing remarks from many persons who knew her and was described by several persons including National Alliance leader William Marlin and Windward Islands Teachers Union (WITU) President Claire Elshot as the voice of the voiceless.