Former Tobago East MP, radio talk show host, author and economist Dr Morgan Job was remembered as an outspoken, scholarly, patriotic, unappreciated son of the soil.
Job, who had been diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer died at the Port of Spain General Hospital on Sunday afternoon. He was 76. He is survived by his daughters Dzifa and Nzinga and funeral arrangements are to be announced.
Richard Ragoobarsingh, Job's former co-host on Power 102 radio programme Power Breakfast Crew, said in his Facebook post: "I know he was controversial sometimes in what he said but for the several years I worked alongside him we became friends and I had many a healthy debate with him in person and electronically.
He continued: "I did not agree with everything he said and neither he with me but there were certain fundamentals we agreed on. In fact on many things we agreed more than we disagreed. We were honest with each other, I told him he was an intellectual narcissist and he told me I was way too optimistic and needed a huge dash of reality."
Ragoobarsingh said beneath his sometimes harsh and stubborn veneer was a man of humour who could laugh a hearty laugh and whom he believes always wanted Trinidad to be better than it was.
Media veteran Ken Gordon on the CNC3 Morning Brew programme described his long-standing friend as a free spirit who refused to be tempered. He said Job's role was transformational in talk radio and he changed the pattern of talk shows from tepid and cautious speech. He recalled there was a time people would walk from the top to the bottom of St Vincent Street and everyone was listening to Job's show.
"We lost I think someone who has served us very well and has left this country better for having been here."
Television and radio presenter Errol Fabien also commented on Job's passing in a Facebook post.
"Allyuh never like Morgan Job. He was too black, too bright and too forthright. Yes, so many of you recognised his scholar but he was not a truly loved or supported member of this community. That man fought and struggled for so many years just to live in this country. He had to peddle his books in the airport to try to make a dollar and to educate us all. Yes, we sorry Morgan gone but I never felt that we loved his being here when he was here."
In numerous Facebook posts, people fondly recalled listening to Job on the radio and praised him as a man of ideas, a great classical guitarist, a true fighter, great thinker, a brave man, teacher, prophet, historian, a misunderstood man and a valuable asset to this country.
"A good man is never honoured in his own land. If we had taken a dose of his bitter medicine Trinidad and Tobago would have been a better place," one poster wrote.