People's National Party President and Opposition Leader Dr Peter Phillips is saddened by the death of former member of parliament for North East Westmoreland, speaker of the House of Representatives, prominent attorney, and former president of the Cornwall Bar Association, Headley Cunningham, O.J.

Cunningham, who started his career as a barrister-at-law in 1967, distinguished himself with an "outstanding contribution to nation building as a representative of the people and through his legal profession. He was a man of high integrity and even-handedness, especially in his role as speaker of the house," according to Phillips .

In 2007, he was awarded the Order of Jamaica by then Governor General Sir Kenneth Hall for outstanding service in the field of law.

The opposition leader described Cunningham as a stalwart of his profession who loved his country and was committed to doing whatever he could to ensure its development.

"Headley's influence in his chosen field was in fact, global. He was appointed to a number of key international bodies and gave exemplary service wherever he went," Phillips said.

Cunningham was vice- chairman of the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association from 1992 to 1993 and served as a member of the Commonwealth Observer Group to South Africa during the 1991 elections. He was appointed a member of the Privy Council of Jamaica in 1998.

"On behalf of the entire People's National Party family, I express condolences to Headley's family and colleagues," Phillips said.