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Sports Minister Hon. Justina Charles says the passing of Tom Lafond is indeed a big loss for the cricket fraternity in Dominica.

LaFond, a prominent businessman and sports administrator, died at the Princess Margaret Hospital on Tuesday December 18^th 2012.

The Sports Minister remembers Lafond as an individual who made a meaningful contribution to the sport of cricket in Dominica and inspired a generation of cricket players in the country.

“This is a big void for us in the Ministry of Sports because the Tom we know has been a sports enthusiast but more specifically related to Cricket and Tom made a meaningful contribution to the development of Cricket,” Charles lamented.

Honorable Charles remembers Lafond as, “one who was very interested in the development of young people,”and this she said “was exhibited in his everyday interactions with them.”

She added “What is more interesting is the way that he worked with the young people and he was not just interested in their career but he was interested in their total well being. I know he worked with some young people in terms of their academic achievements in ensuring that that they pursued their academic goals and he assisted them financially and otherwise and mentored some of our young men into cricket and other aspects of their development, and for us and for all of those whom he worked with its really a painful loss for us.”

Mrs. Charles had the privilege of working with Lafond in his capacity as Chairman of the Stadium Management Board .The Sports Minister described his work as exemplary.

“I am happy that I had the opportunity to work with Tom as the chairman of the Stadium management board and even in October when he was reappointed as the chairman he never had the opportunity to serve but even in his physical absence he called to make sure that things were going right.” the sports minister remarked.

She added,” During the times that we hosted our cricket matches he was exemplary and Tom would ensure that everything was in order.”

Tom Lafond, the husband of former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Jennifer Lafond was the Island Manager of Tropical Shipping and a former manager of the Windward Islands Cricket Team. He is the father of well-known Barbados-based Dr. Geoffrey Lafond.