KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Press Association of Jamaica has expressed sadness at the passing of veteran journalist, author and commentator Peter Abrahams.

“Peter Abrahams was a brilliant, incisive and analytical writer, whose significant output in the areas of  literature and journalism marked him as a major contributor to Jamaica’s national development over the decades,” PAJ President Dionne Jackson Miller said in a release.

Abrahams, a South African journalist and author who made Jamaica his home in the 1950s, was found dead at his Rock Hall, St Andrew, home yesterday.

“Many of us grew up listening to his news commentaries, which always cut to the core of the political and social issues facing the country, offered searing insight, and very often, suggested solutions and a way forward,” Jackson Miller recalled.

His years as chairman of RJR were exemplified by steadfast support for the newsroom and the journalists who worked there, and he earned many times over the respect, admiration and love of the employees with whom he dealt, she added.

But Abrahams, 97, was also well known internationally for his contributions to the black liberation struggles, especially through his writing.

“The fact that on the day of his death, at the age of 97, the Gleaner had published a letter by Peter speaking to contemporary issues facing the country is an indicator of how sharp and relevant he remained to the very end,” Jackson Miller said.

“We were privileged to have had him with us for so long. There is much that journalists today can learn from Peter’s example and work. We are fortunate that he was dedicated to documenting so many of his experiences, which will prove a treasure trove for students of political thought and journalism for years to come,” she added.