KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is expressing deep regret over the passing of Don Wehby, the former GraceKennedy Group chief executive officer, whom it described as a “Jamaican corporate luminary, philanthropist, former sportsman, and erstwhile Government minister and lawmaker”.

Wehby died on Saturday, July 26, at the age of 62. His family announced his passing early Sunday.

READ: Business giant Don Wehby has died

Commenting on the news, JLP Leader Andrew Holness said, “We mourn the passing of a respected Government senator and a visionary leader whose influence spanned both public service and private enterprise…His transformational leadership helped guide GraceKennedy’s expansion into regional and global markets and established it as one of the Caribbean’s most dynamic conglomerates.”

“Don was known not just for his professional excellence but for his character, kind, gracious, deeply principled, and unwaveringly committed to Jamaica’s future. He served with integrity as Government Senator and minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Finance from September 2007 to October 2009, and again in the Senate from 2016 onward, always offering wisdom, mentorship, and a firm belief in the potential of his homeland,” he continued.

Holness said Wehby’s legacy will endure in the lives he mentored, the institutions he helped build, and in the ideals he championed.

“Don’s passing is a tremendous loss for his loving family, for the colleagues and communities he uplifted, and for the nation he so passionately served…To his family, your loss is deeply felt. To the staff of GraceKennedy, his fellow policymakers and the many students, entrepreneurs and citizens who looked to him for leadership, I know your sorrow. May you find solace in the countless ways he made Jamaica better. May his memory forever be a blessing, and may his legacy continue to inspire us to serve with purpose, integrity, and love,” the JLP leader said.

Likewise, chairman of the Jamaica Labour Party’s communication taskforce, Senator Abka Fitz-Henley, said Wehby’s passing is a “sombre moment” for the country.

“Don was an incredible Jamaican who shone his light of excellence in several areas of national life including business, sports, policymaking and the legislature. We express our most sincere condolences to Don’s family, in particular his wife and children. We pray that the Almighty grants them solace, strength and grace in this time of significant bereavement,” Fitz-Henley said.

Don Wehby (left) and chairman of the Jamaica Labour Party’s communication taskforce, Senator Abka Fitz-Henley.