Prime Minister Gaston Browne on Saturday expressed condolences following the death of businessman, philanthropist and former Cabinet minister Sir Aziz Hadeed, describing him as a friend and comrade.

Speaking on Pointe FM, Browne said the news of Sir Aziz’s death came as a shock.

“So I want to take the opportunity once again to extend my sincerest condolences and certainly condolences on behalf of the leadership and membership of the Antigua Barbuda Labour Party to the Hadeed family,” Browne said.

The Prime Minister said the party stood with the Hadeed family during what he described as a difficult period.

Sir Aziz was one of Antigua and Barbuda’s most influential business figures and was widely credited with helping transform the Hadeed Group of Companies into one of the Eastern Caribbean’s leading enterprises.

He joined the family business in 1965 and later became chairman of the company in 1980, overseeing its expansion into a multi-million-dollar corporation with interests in several sectors, including aviation and energy.

Sir Aziz also served as chairman of the board of LIAT (1974) Limited from 1995 to 1998 and played a key role in the establishment of the Antigua Power Company.

In public life, he served two terms as an Independent Senator after his appointment in 1994 and later held a Cabinet position between 2004 and 2006.

In recent years, Sir Aziz was closely associated with the development of the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus, where he served as chairman of the campus council and helped guide major expansion plans and scholarship initiatives.

Last year, he was knighted by Prince William at Windsor Castle in recognition of his contributions to national development and philanthropy.