Mark Loquan, who last year received the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, has passed away.

According to reports, Mr Loquan was recovering from cancer surgery, however details regarding his death have not been released.

He was a former President of NGC and a music composer/songwriter.

He received his national award for national service (energy and steel pan innovation).

In a post to his Facebook page, Prime Minister Stuart Young hailed Mr Loquan as a son of the soil, saying “He was a talented and humble man. Someone genuinely concerned about our country and dedicated to doing his part to make it better. Whether it was composing music for the pan, strategizing the future of our gas industry or negotiating for better terms and conditions for Trinidad and Tobago Mark did it with a level of passion and excellence.”