UNC MEDIA RELEASE - UNC MOURNS THE PASSING OF DR. DAPHNE PHILLIPS A DISTINGUISHED PUBLIC SERVANT, SCHOLAR, AND LOYAL DAUGHTER OF THE PARTY - 3 DEC 2025
UNITED VOICE
UNITED NATIONAL CONGRESS
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The Republic of Trinidad & Tobago
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MEDIA RELEASE
To: All Editors
From: Political Leader, Prime Minister Hon. Kamla Persad Bissessar, SC
Date: 3rd December 2025
UNC MOURNS THE PASSING OF DR. DAPHNE PHILLIPS
A DISTINGUISHED PUBLIC SERVANT, SCHOLAR, AND LOYAL DAUGHTER OF THE PARTY
The United National Congress extends heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, colleagues, and loved ones of Dr. Daphne Phillips, who passed away earlier today at the age of 82.
Dr. Daphne Phillips was a woman of extraordinary depth—an academic, a nurse, a mentor, a policymaker, and a patriot. Her lifelong commitment to empowering communities, uplifting women, strengthening families, and enriching the cultural fabric of our nation will forever stand as a testament to her vision and integrity.
Dr. Phillips served our country with distinction in the Basdeo Panday Administration (1995–2001), holding several key ministerial portfolios:
l Minister of Community Development, Culture and Women’s Affairs
l Minister of Culture and Gender Affairs
l Minister in the Ministry of Community Empowerment, Sport and Consumer Affairs
She also served as a Government Senator during that period and later returned to the Parliament as an Opposition UNC Senator in 2008.
Such was the esteem in which she was held that she was entrusted to act as Prime Minister on multiple occasions — carrying out the responsibility with calm competence and unwavering dignity.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC, who served alongside Dr. Phillips in the Panday Cabinet, today paid tribute to her former colleague, fondly remembering their service together and describing her as a stalwart.
In 2024, the Hon. Kamla Persad-Bissessar honoured Dr. Phillips with a Long-Service Award, celebrating her sterling and enduring contributions to the party and to national development.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=763558549241047&set=pcb.763565202573715
Dr. Phillips was among the early pillars of our political movement. Before joining the United National Congress, she was a member of the People’s Popular Movement (PPM) under Michael Als. When the PPM merged with the newly formed UNC in 1991, she became part of the party’s foundation and never wavered in her commitment.
She served not only in Government and Parliament but also within the party’s internal structures, including as a member of the UNC National Executive. Her voice, wisdom, and steadfast support strengthened the organisation from its earliest days right up to her final years.
A highly trained social scientist, Dr. Phillips specialised in sociology, behaviour modification, health, and the sociology of development. She pursued studies at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Jamaica and later at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Her early training at Bishop Anstey High School and Osmond High School laid the foundation for a life of academic excellence and service.
Dr. Phillips brought her extensive experience in nursing, midwifery, and nurse education to the Caribbean, shaping countless professionals across the region. She later taught at several tertiary institutions, including the University of the West Indies, where she helped mould future generations of leaders and thinkers.
The National Executive, the Parliamentary Arm, our Political Leader, and the entire UNC family join in mourning this profound loss. Dr. Daphne Phillips leaves behind a legacy defined by integrity, compassion, scholarship, and an unwavering belief in the transformative power of public service.
Her example will continue to inspire generations.
Her memory will forever remain a blessing to the UNC.
May her great soul rest in eternal peace.
Prime Minister The Hon. Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC
Political Leader
