Prime Minister Mia Mottley today paid tribute to “true son and genuine nation builder”, the late Sir Frank Alleyne.
Mottley said that Sir Frank, 84, had a deep love of country and was never afraid to speak his mind.
“I did not always share his macro-economic approach or his political opinion, but never once have I had reason to doubt the sincerity of his position or his love for people and country,” Mottley said.
“Whether he spoke as a teacher/lecturer, politician or otherwise, Sir Frank was never afraid to tell it as he saw it, guided by his conscience, his study of economics, and ever-burning desire to be instrumental in the crafting of a better Barbados. He will be missed.”
The statement follows in full:
Once again, Barbados has lost a true son and genuine nation builder, with the passing of Sir Frank Alleyne.
The news of his death today was truly a moment for me to pause and give extra thought to the exercise of preparing the annual Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure, in which I have been engaged daily since the start of last week
And I pause because I could not help but reflect on the fact that for almost as long as I have been alive, Sir Frank has been working tirelessly to ensure that those of us who have responsibility for the public purse never lose sight of the connection between how we practice economics and the quality of life of ordinary citizens.
For him, economics was never to be construed as some exotic academic subject to be discussed in the halls of the university by a select few, but about how people live – how education, transportation, health and social services etc., impact on them every day. Not even his retirement from the University of the West Indies almost two decades ago could dull his passion for the subject.
I had the honour of serving with him in the Senate from 1991 to 1994, and readily confess that much of what I have learnt about the Public Service came from him. I did not always share his macro-economic approach or his political opinion, but never once have I had reason to doubt the sincerity of his position or his love for people and country.
Whether he spoke as a teacher/lecturer, politician or otherwise, Sir Frank was never afraid to tell it as he saw it, guided by his conscience, his study of economics, and ever-burning desire to be instrumental in the crafting of a better Barbados. He will be missed.
To his daughters, Dawn, Franka, Shirley and Nicole, I extend to you sincere condolences on behalf of the Government and people of Barbados, and ask that in this time of sadness you take comfort in the knowledge that his contribution to this nation can never be minimised.
May his soul rest in peace. (PR/SAT)
