Lewis Perinbam, 1925 - 2007
Chair, COL Board of Governors, 2003 - 2007
The Commonwealth of Learning and the international development community are deeply saddened by the loss of Lewis Perinbam, O.C., LL.D., who died on Wednesday, 12 December 2007, after a brief illness. He was elected to chair COL's Board of Governors from April 2003, having served from 1991 as a Special Advisor to COL's first two presidents, Dr. James Maraj and Dato' Professor Gajaraj Dhanarajan.
Lewis Perinbam was born in 1925 in Johore, Bahru Malaysia, into a family with roots in Madras (Chennai), India. He became a world citizen at the young age of 12 when he was sent unaccompanied by ship to Scotland. There he was received by an uncle who had assured his father that he would see to it that Lewis received a "proper British education."
Lewis never saw his father again. World War II broke out and Lewis was unable to return to Malaysia until it ended, by which time Japanese soldiers had raided his home and killed his father; a tragedy that was not disclosed to the young teenager until he finally returned to Malaysia.
After completing his formal education in Scotland, Lewis immigrated to Canada, where he steadily acquired a national reputation for fostering Canada's role in international development through his involvement and achievements with many organisations. His appointment as an Officer of the Order of Canada and his many awards and honorary degrees express the esteem in which he was held. As a writer and author he was best known for his book, North and South: Towards a New Interdependence of Nations, which carried a foreword by Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau.
His distinguished career in the Canadian Federal Public Service led him to work also in various international organisations, notably the World Bank and UNESCO, and in the non-governmental (NGO) and private sectors. He was the first Secretary-General of the Canadian National Commission for UNESCO, the founding Executive Director of Canadian University Service Overseas and Executive Director of World University Service of Canada. He represented the World Bank at the United Nations and at the UN's Specialised Agencies in Europe.
As Vice-President of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) for seventeen years he inspired the creation of CIDA's Non Governmental Organization and Industrial Co-operation Programmes - the first of their kind in the world - and launched numerous initiatives to involve the private, non-governmental and institutional sectors in international development. He led Canadian Government delegations to many international meetings and served as an advisor to the United Nations, the Commonwealth Secretariat (London, England) and the National Academy of Sciences (Washington, D.C.). He was especially proud of his role in chairing the 2000 Canadian Government Task Force on the Participation of Visible Minorities in the Federal Public Service.
Lewis also provided a lifetime of service in governance capacities to civil society and community organisations. After retiring from CIDA he settled in Vancouver and dedicated himself to helping the Commonwealth of Learning through his extensive contacts and global networks. In praising this contribution COL President Sir John Daniel said, "At an age when most people would be enjoying a well earned retirement Lewis came to his office at COL most days. He was an inspiring friend to members of the staff and during his time as Chair of the Board COL's governance practices became a model for intergovernmental organisations. It was a privilege to serve under him."
Members of the development community throughout the world will miss Lewis' wise and humane contribution to their work. He leaves his wife, Nancy Garrett, a sister and three brothers.
Services of remembrance and celebration were held in Vancouver on Friday, December 28th, 2007 at St. Helen's Anglican Church, 4405 West 8th Avenue, at 2 pm and in Ottawa on Wednesday, January 16th, 2008 at the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa, 30 Cleary Avenue, at 3:30 pm. Receptions will followed.
In lieu of flowers, donations to support the Lewis Perinbam Award in International Development would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made on line at www.wusc.ca or cheques may be made payable to World University Service of Canada (WUSC) indicating Lewis Perinbam Award and mailed to: WUSC Donations Office, 1404 Scott Street, Ottawa, K1Y 4M8. Tel. 613-761-3728.