(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), His Excellency Edwin Carrington, has expressed deep regret at the death of Hon. Oliver Jackman. Mr. Jackman, who has served his home country Barbados, the Caribbean region and the international community as journalist, diplomat and jurist passed away recently at age 76.
The Message of Condolence reads:
`It is with deep regret and great sadness that I have learnt of the death of the Hon Oliver Jackman, CHB, a truly distinguished son of Barbados and the Caribbean.
His service to his country, the Region and the world as jurist, journalist and diplomat left no doubt as to the outstanding quality of the man. Having won the Barbados Scholarship in 1948, Jackman first made his mark in the sphere of broadcast journalism and created one of his many firsts by becoming the first Chief Information Officer of Barbados.
He then established his regional credentials when he became Deputy Federal Information Officer of the Federal Government of the West Indies in Port-of-Spain, from 1959 to 1961. His skills having been thus noted, he embarked on an international career with the United Nations system, particularly in Africa. He returned to his country’s service on the attainment of Independence as one of its first batch of diplomats, serving first at UN Headquarters then rising to become head of Foreign Service. Mr. Jackman also served at different times as Ambassador to Canada, Cuba, Haiti, the United States and Permanent Representative to the Organisation of American States and European Community. It was in this last posting that I had the great and memorable pleasure of working with him during my service at the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Secretariat in Brussels.
Retirement was not a word associated with Oliver Jackman and in 1995 he was elected for a six-year term as a judge of the Inter- American Court of Human Rights. He has also served as a member of Haiti’s Truth and Justice Commission and more recently as a member of the Barbados Social Justice Commission and the Barbados Constitution Review Commission.
This unique gentleman and scholar has served his country, the Region and indeed the wider world with distinction and is a tremendous loss at a time when such experience and wisdom are surely needed in this Caribbean Community.
As Secretary-General and friend, I extend heartfelt condolences on behalf of the Community, the Secretariat and myself and family to wife Annie and son, Francois, of this great Caribbean man.’
