The passing of Sir Aziz Hadeed, a renowned businessman, dedicated philanthropist and former senior government official in Antigua and Barbuda, has prompted an outpouring of condolences from across the nation, with Prime Minister Gaston Browne remembering him as a close friend and political comrade.
Speaking during an interview with local radio outlet Pointe FM this Saturday, Browne revealed that news of Sir Aziz’s death caught the country completely off guard. “On behalf of the entire leadership and rank-and-file membership of the Antigua Barbuda Labour Party, I want to extend our deepest, most sincere condolences to the entire Hadeed family at this painful time,” the prime minister stated, adding that the party would stand in full solidarity with the family through their period of grief.
Widely regarded as one of the most impactful business leaders in Antigua and Barbuda’s modern history, Sir Aziz leaves behind a decades-long legacy of entrepreneurial growth and national development. He began his career with the family-owned Hadeed Group of Companies in 1965, stepping into the role of chairman in 1980. Under his strategic leadership, the small family firm evolved into one of the Eastern Caribbean’s most prominent corporate entities, growing into a multi-million-dollar conglomerate with diverse operations spanning critical sectors including aviation and energy.
Beyond his private sector achievements, Sir Aziz left an indelible mark on regional and national public infrastructure. He served as chairman of the board for regional airline LIAT (1974) Limited between 1995 and 1998, and was a key founding figure behind the Antigua Power Company, which continues to power economic activity across the islands today.
In his public service career, Sir Aziz first accepted an appointment as an Independent Senator in 1994, going on to serve two full terms in the upper parliamentary chamber. He later joined the national Cabinet between 2004 and 2006, bringing his decades of business expertise to bear on national policy making.
In the final chapter of his public life, Sir Aziz committed himself to expanding educational opportunity for Antiguans and Barbudans. He worked closely with the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus, serving as chairman of the campus council. In that role, he guided ambitious campus expansion projects and championed new scholarship programs to open higher education access to more local students.
Just last year, Sir Aziz received one of the nation’s highest honors when he was knighted by Prince William at Windsor Castle, in recognition of his decades of contributions to national development and charitable giving across Antigua and Barbuda.