Grange remembers Baugh as extremely humble, one of the nicest persons

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, has described her late colleague Dr Kenneth Baugh as very humble and one of the nicest persons.

Baugh, a former health and foreign affairs minister, died this morning after ailing for some time. The former West Central St Catherine member of parliament retired from representational politics in 2015 due to ill health.

“I’m very saddened by his passing.  I really loved Dr Baugh dearly.  He was one of the nicest individuals," said Grange in tribute to her former colleague today.

"As minister, he was humble.  As deputy prime minister, he was extremely humble.  He was really a humble person, excellent physician and surgeon.  He was just a wonderful person," she continued.

According to Grange, Baugh "as minister of foreign affairs contributed tremendously in how we conducted the business of the nation internationally.  As minister of health, he made great strides in setting our policy on a very progressive journey and he must be credited for a number of things that have been done in health under the Jamaica Labour Party administrations. And he was one of the outstanding medical practitioners of Jamaica.  His contribution was in so many ways and his community service was tremendous". 

She reflected on the medical doctor turned politician as one of those individuals who could stand above the fray; a real statesman. Grange said he never got caught up in partisan politics although he was firmly a Jamaica Labour Party man.  She said he was able to reach out to others and to ensure that there was a good relationship between both sides of the House (Parliament).

"And in his everyday life, he cared for so many regardless of politics," the sports minister said in her tribute, adding that his passing "has left a void".  

She expressed condolences to his widow, Vilma; to the entire family; to his children; to his close sister, Lorna Myers; to the party — we’re all going to miss him.  

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