Former Manchester Northwestern MP Dean Peart dies at 77

People's National Party veteran Dean Peart has died at the age of 77. The former five-term member of parliament for Manchester Northwestern also served as a cabinet minister, councillor, and mayor of Mandeville over the course of his political career.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the PNP said Mr Peart was remembered for integrity, hard work, and plain speaking, and was held in high regard by the constituents he represented.

Mr Peart came from a family long tied to national politics. His father, Ernest Peart, was likewise a PNP member of parliament, and his brother, Michael Peart, sat with him in the House, serving as an MP and as Speaker.

Tributes have followed the news of his death. The Jamaica Labour Party called him a capable and forceful politician who upheld standards of decency and decorum. JLP general secretary Dr Horace Chang said Mr Peart was dedicated to Jamaica and its progress, spoke honestly on matters of national importance, and was firm in parliamentary debate when he judged it necessary, without descending into indecency or disrespect.

Relatives also spoke about his death. One described him as a political giant and a pillar of the family — a mentor and motivator who inspired others to enter public life so that his work and his care for the people could continue. He was, they said, valued across the political divide, by comrades and Labourites alike, and by supporters abroad.

Another relative said the loss was deeply felt by the family and by Jamaicans more widely, and urged relatives, friends, and supporters to remain strong through the difficult period ahead.