Jamaica has lost one of the giants of our time – Firstlook

Jamaica has lost one of the giants of our time

The Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, has expressed deep sadness at the news of the passing of contemporary Jamaican business and media mogul, Mr. Oliver F. Clarke, OJ.

Prime Minister Holness expressed his condolences to Mr Clarke’s family, friends and colleagues.

Prime Minister Holness said in a statement:

“I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Mr. Oliver F. Clark.
I knew he was very ill but knowing he was a fighter, I hoped that this battle would not be his last. For decades, Oliver straddled the Jamaican business community like a colossus. From his role as Assistant General Manager of the Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS) to his last major role as Chairman of the RJRGleaner Communications Group, Oliver played a major role in many aspects of the Jamaican and regional private sector. He will likely be remembered for his significant role in the company he joined in 1976 and built into one of the most influential newspapers in the English-speaking Caribbean. Later, along with the late J Lester Spaulding, he played a leading role in overseeing the merger of the Gleaner with Radio Jamaica Limited (RJR), creating one of the largest media groups in the region.”

Prime Minister Holness also commended Mr. Clark for his contribution to Jamaica’s broader development.

“For those who knew him, Oliver was more than just a media mogul. As a leader in the local private sector, his role in shaping the country’s development cannot be overstated. As Chairman of the Jamaica Private Sector Organisation from 2002 to 2003, President of the Inter-American Press Association, and a member of the boards of several major private sector entities, Oliver provided sound judgement and a calm demeanour.”

In 1998, Oliver Clarke was awarded the Order of Jamaica. A year earlier, in 1997, he was inducted into the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) Hall of Fame.

Prime Minister Holness expressed his condolences to Mr Clarke’s widow, Monica, and daughter, Maria Alexandra, noting that his death would leave Jamaica poorer.