PM Browne Pays Tribute to Hotelier Sir Rob Barrett

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has revealed that the late hotelier Sir Rob Barrett, in his final moments, conveyed a message praising his leadership.

“Tell Prime Minister Browne that he is an extraordinary leader and that he is taking the country in the right direction,” Mr Browne said, recalling the words shared with him by a trustee of Barrett’s estate.

Speaking on The Browne and Browne Show on Pointe FM, the Prime Minister described the message as “one of the most appreciated compliments” he has received in his political career.

“When a man on his deathbed, a very wealthy man who doesn’t have to impress, is going out and has nothing to lose, and he extends such a compliment… it speaks to the genuineness of the thought,” Mr Browne said.

Sir Rob Barrett, a longstanding investor in Antigua and Barbuda’s tourism sector, was one of the country’s largest private employers, with a portfolio of hotels that played a critical role in the hospitality industry.

“His businesses would have resulted in the bulk of the air travel into the country, the bulk of employment as well,” Mr Browne said. “I would imagine within the various hotels, Rob probably would have had at least maybe a couple thousand people working for him.”

He described Barrett as a man who “lived and breathed tourism,” noting that his investments extended beyond Antigua to other parts of the Caribbean.

“He was the single most successful entrepreneur who relied on accumulated capital from early ventures to finance succeeding hotel and hospitality projects,” Mr Browne said, adding that the government had previously recognised Barrett’s contributions by conferring one of the nation’s highest honours upon him.

The Prime Minister expressed hope that Barrett’s estate would continue his legacy, ensuring that his properties remain integral to Antigua and Barbuda’s tourism industry.

“The last thing we want is for them to sell off all of his holdings and for the businesses to become dissipated,” he said. “His hotels have been at the core of our tourism product for a very long time.”

Barrett, who migrated to the Caribbean decades ago, was a naturalised citizen of Antigua and Barbuda. Mr Browne noted that he continually reinvested in the country rather than seeking opportunities elsewhere.

“For many, he may have been seen as an expatriate, but I saw him as one of us,” he said.

An official memorial service will be held in Antigua to honour Barrett’s life and contributions, though the details have yet to be announced.

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