Former head of the public service, Reginald Dumas has died at the age of 88.

Reports say confirmation came from his daughter who said that he fought an extended challenge of gastrointestinal failure over the past few weeks at the Scarborough General Hospital.

Mr Dumas was also a diplomat – he was Ambassador to the United States of America and Permanent Representative of T&T to the OAS, High Commissioner to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, High Commissioner to Canada, High Commissioner to India, with accreditation to Sri Lanka, Singapore, Indonesia and Japan and High Commissioner to Ethiopia, with accreditation to Kenya, the United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

In 1998, he became co-founder of T&T Transparency Institute, the National Chapter of Transparency International.

Among those extending condolences is THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine.

He described Mr Dumas as a steady advocate for Tobago, whose legacy and influence will remain a source of encouragement and inspiration.

Mr. Dumas was also a member of the Tobago Council of Elders, and Mr Augustine said, “His wisdom and discernment, and the impact he has had in the sphere of public service have been a building block to the progress of our island’s development.”

This story has been updated.