Dear Editor,

Regrettably, due to unforeseen circumstances, I was unable to attend the funeral of Captain Horace Burrell on Wednesday and to pay tribute to this wonderful Jamaican as requested by his beloved family through the Ministry of Sport.

I am among the vast number of Jamaicans who will dearly miss Captain Burrell for the huge impact he has had on both country and individuals, including myself. Even though he has passed from this life, he will not so easily pass from our memories.

Indeed, one the most cherished memories he has left behind is Jamaica’s incredible qualification for the finals of the 1998 Football World Cup — a feat whose significance we can measure by the fact that a country of one billion people, India, has never had such experience.

The pride he has inspired in Jamaicans has only been matched by the achievements of the incomparable Usain Bolt, whose imminent retirement from international track athletics will leave a similar gap.

Captain Burrell was a one-of-a-kind person. I treasured his friendship and his public demonstration of respect for all, and I applaud his immeasurable success at so many levels. He did his best to motivate others to achieve, and he gave credit where it was due, which is a singular quality in a great man.

His ability to overcome challenges from his youth, his successful career as a soldier attaining the rank of captain in the military, his entrance into the sporting arena from which he became the driving force to France 1998, and his extraordinary abilities as a businessman will define the legacy he leaves behind for a grateful country.

I salute Captain Horace Burrell, a true officer and a gentleman. Job well done.

May his soul rest in peace.

Gordon “Butch” Stewart, OJ, CD, Hon LLD

Chairman

ATL/Sandals Group of Companies