House pays tribute to Easton Douglas

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has described late Cabinet minister Easton Douglas as a patriot and an example of a dignified politician.

Holness was among several parliamentarians who paid tribute to Douglas during today's sitting of the House of Representatives.

"He was a true servant of the people," the Prime Minister said.

He recounted his first meeting with Douglas, who was housing minister at the time, to discuss a community in his west central St Andrew constituency that could have benefitted under the programme dubbed Operation PRIDE.

"I came away from the meeting without anything, but I left with a sense that I got a fair hearing," Holness said.

"What struck me was his humility, he added.

Leader of the Opposition Dr Peter Phillips said Douglas was passionate about his political conviction without being "overly tribalistic".

Phillips said Douglas had a passion for the development of the country's infrastructure.

 "He had a vision of making our communities more humane," he said.

Douglas, 81, a former Cabinet minister, died at his St Andrew home last month after a long battle with cancer.

His official funeral will be held at the St Andrew Parish Church on Hagley Park Road on Thursday, September 20, starting at 10:00 a.m.

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