Arthur led the country for an unprecedented three consecutive terms from 1994 to 2008
FORMER PRIME Minister Owen Arthur has passed away at the age of 70, a Government statement has confirmed.
Arthur, the island’s longest-serving Prime Minister, died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital at 12:26 a.m. He was hospitalised last week with heart complications.
The statement said that the Minister of Labour and Social Relations and St Peter MP Colin Jordan will be the coordinating minister for the funeral arrangements.
Extends
The Barbados Government Information Service added: “The Government of Barbados extends sincerest condolences to his wife, Julie, his daughters, Leah and Sabrina and his extended family.”
Arthur led the country for an unprecedented three consecutive terms from 1994 to 2008, having served as Member of Parliament for the constituency of St Peter from 1984 to 2013.
Defeated
In 2013, he announced that election would be his last after the Barbados Labour Party was defeated.
Since retiring from political office, Arthur was conferred with the title of Professor of Practice: Economics of Development by the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus in November 2018 and in January 2020, was appointed chairman of the Board of LIAT the Caribbean Airline.