JLP General Secretary Horace Chang mourns former minister Dean Peart

KINGSTON, Jamaica — On Sunday, Jamaica Labour Party General Secretary Dr Horace Chang offered the party’s sympathy to relatives of former Cabinet Minister Dean Peart, casting him as a public figure who upheld decency, decorum and integrity.

“Dean Peart was committed to Jamaica and its development. He was generally honest in his remarks on issues of national importance. However, though he was robust when he thought it necessary in his submissions to Parliament, Mr Peart never resorted to being indecent or disrespectful. His conduct in Parliament and the political arena, in general, was of the highest calibre. We will miss his contributions to national discourse,” said Chang.

The Deputy Prime Minister also underlined that Peart, though a People’s National Party member and political opponent, favoured working with every relevant stakeholder whenever a matter of national interest was at stake.

“Dean was of an era where there was a general understanding that disagreement was inevitable, but it was never an excuse for insolence. He was strident in defending causes in which he believed. He was a competent servant of the people,” Chang recalled.

“On behalf of the Jamaica Labour Party, I express our deepest condolences to Dean’s family, including his wife and children. We also hold in our prayers his brother, Michael, who served as Speaker of the House while Dean was a Government Minister and also a Member of Parliament. Dean no doubt hailed from a family that believed in giving genuine and committed public service. His contribution will not be forgotten,” Chang added.

Peart died on Sunday following what reports described as a struggle with illness. He was 77.