JOHN DEREK COZIER
'RACING ENCYCLOPEDIA' DEREK COZIER DIES
By Glen Mohammed
Sunday Express
December 23, 2001
Page 69
John Derek Cozier, the encyclopedia of Trinidad and Tobago racing, is dead.
Cozier, long-serving secretary of the Trinidad and Tobago Racing Authority (TTRA) and later the Betting Levy Board (BLB), died yesterday at the age of 51 at St Clair Medical Centre from liver complications. He leaves to mourn his wife Pamela and children John Derek Cozier Junior and daughter Kristy.
"He's one of the straightest persons," said David Loregnard, his assistant and understudy who worked with Cozier for the past 16 years. "He's a great administrator and a stickler for the rules. He's one person who had an all-round knowledge of racing and knew what racing stood for.
"I do not think I could fill his shoes," added Loregnard, the natural heir-apparent for Cozier's position.
"Well, everything will go on ... but that void. You cannot get anyone to fill that void. He stand out like Eric James and Jack Warner to football and lived his life for racing."
Cozier, along with being the BLB secretary, was also coordinator on the Clasico Internacional del Caribe committee and secretary of the West Indian Thoroughbred Racing Association (WITRA) at the time of his death.
"Oh, Lord! Bad news. I have only the highest praise for Derek. He was one of the few competent people in racing. He was a decent human being. Racing in the Caribbean will miss him dearly," exclaimed Maurice Quesnel, a former TTRA chairman.
Ray Bernard, president of the Trinidad Turf Club (TTC), under whom Cozier was first employed in the sport when the TTC was racing's sole governing body, said: "Cozier started off as a clerk. He excelled himself and was seconded to the TTRA in 1976 as the secretary. He's a great loss to racing in Trinidad and Tobago.
"I don't think there is any one who is more knowledgeable about racing than him. If he didn't know an answer, it would not take him more than ten minutes to find the answer. One cannot say anything bad about him. His character is beyond reproach. His honesty an integrity are unquestioned," stated Bernard.
"He served the industry honourable. No one could cast a finger of aspersion about him. There is a saying, no man is indispensable ... the racing industry will take a long while to find a replacement. There isn't much more one can say. Trinidad needs more workers like Derek.
"My sympathy goes out to his family," Bernard ended in a sad tone.
"From all accounts, two days ago he wasn't well and never came out. I got to know of him when he first applied for a job at the TTRA when Ray D'Abadie was the secretary of the TTC. He first worked at Huggins and Company. D'Abadie was very impressed with him. D'Abadie sure backed a winner in Cozier," said veterinarian Dr Steve Bennett, another icon of the racing industry.
"He was an encyclopedia of knowledge in racing. I have never known him to be wrong whenever I challenged him. If you were in a doubt, in two minutes he will pull a book. He was a workaholic.
"He loved racing. At his home he has a museum of racing ... the racing industry should purchase and preserve it. He was very clever. He will be hard to replace, if at all. He has my highest recommendation. He's a great loss to racing " said Bennett.
"I knew him in a pram. I have lost a friend," said TTRA member Sydney Lee. "He's the Hansard of racing ... racing has suffered a great loss. Only last week he received a long service award for 25 years service.
"We had a day planned in tribute of him for January 12. We will now have to change plans."
"It's a sad day for local racing. I consider him an encyclopedia in Caribbean racing," said owner-trainer Maniram "Boboy" Maharaj, who worked with Cozier on the BLB for two terms. "He was a very approachable person. I always respected the man. I will miss him. Racing has lost ... I would say a friend. My condolences go out to his wife and family. The Lord giveth and taketh. I am sure there is a place in heaven for him."
"He's respected as a racing administrator in the Caribbean, and his passing will leave a void. His efforts to stimulate WITRA as its secretary will surely be missed," said Chris Armond, chief executive officer of the Arima Race Club (ARC).
"Personally, and on behalf of the ARC, our deepest sympathy goes out to his family. We share in their time of grief."
On November 28, 1998, when the Clasico Internacional del Caribe was staged in Trinidad for the first time, Cozier was honoured by the Clasico committee, with one of the supporting races, the Confederation Cup, named in his honour.
Funeral arrangements are being tentatively planned for Thursday.