San Juan, Trinidad December 2nd 2015: Deputy Prime Minister under Dr Eric Williams, Kamaluddin Mohammed, died last night at the age of 88.  Mohammed died at his home around 10.30 pm Tuesday night.

Kamaludin Mohammed receives this country’s highest national award, the Order of Trinidad and Tobago from President George Maxwell Richards at the National Awards ceremony.

His son, Alimuddin Mohammed said on CNC3’s The Morning Brew that since Mohammed passed away, the family has been receiving calls of sympathy.

Alimuddin said within the last two years his father’s health was deteriorating. Mohammed was hospitalised in September with kidney problems and other complications, and was later discharged.

Alimuddin praised the doctors and staff of the Eric Williams Sciences Complex in Mt Hope for their care and treatment of his father while he was ill.

1976: Dr Eric Williams, left, is seen here speaking with Kamaluddin Mohammed.

He said his father gave more than 60 years of his life in service to T&T. Mohammed was the first person of East Indian descent to reach the office of acting prime minister.

He became the youngest government minister ever in the British Commonwealth when he was appointed Minister of Agriculture.

He served as the MP for St Joseph and as Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries under the Government led by Dr Williams.

Apart from serving as Acting Prime Minister of T&T, Mohammed, over his 30 years in politics, was at various times Minister for Public Utilities, West Indian Affairs, External Affairs, Health and Local Government.

He also served as Ambassador to CARICOM for three years.

Mohammed will be buried at 4pm today under Muslim rites at the Nur E Islam Mosque on El Socorro Road, San Juan. Janazah will be read at 5pm. He will be buried at the El Socorro Muslim cemetery.