PNP pays tribute as former Manchester MP Dean Peart dies at 77

Former People's National Party parliamentarian Dean Peart has died. He was 77. Tributes have continued since his death on Sunday.

In a statement, the PNP described Peart as a proud son of Manchester and of the party. He previously served as mayor of Mandeville and won the North West Manchester constituency five times in a row, representing residents for 22 years.

Peart also held office as Minister of State across several areas, among them local government, the environment, and lands and works. He earlier served as parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Sports.

Relatives who spoke with a Nationwide News team said the family remains overwhelmed by the loss.

One family member said: "Today is a sad day for the Peart family, extended family, and Jamaica as a whole. We have lost a great man, a political giant. He was a pillar, a mentor, and a strong foundation in our family. He was our main motivator for entering politics. And because he wanted to carry on the legacy of his work and the love he had for the people, he was loved by right across the board, by right across the political spectrum. He was loved and appreciated by comrades and laborites as a whole."

Another relative added that the family feels the loss most keenly and that the news would sadden people across Jamaica, urging kin, friends and supporters to remain strong through the difficult period.