Bovell laid to rest
PM hails former senator as man of ‘unquestioned integrity’
Published:Thursday | February 12, 2026 | 12:08 AMJanet Silvera/Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Former Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Senator Christopher Bovell, a distinguished attorney-at-law whose steady counsel shaped both national governance and corporate Jamaica, was laid to rest on Tuesday at the Church of St Margaret in Kingston.
Bovell, who died on January 14 at age 87, was remembered as a man of “unquestioned integrity”, whose authority came not from force or flourish, but from character.
The thanksgiving service drew a bipartisan gathering, including Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, Opposition Leader Mark Golding, Cabinet ministers, parliamentarians, legal luminaries and corporate leaders.
In his tribute, Holness reflected on Bovell’s composure and objectivity.
“In times of challenge and uncertainty, it is useful to have even characters ... people who will maintain focus, people who will be objective, and people who will speak truth to authority quietly,” he said.
Holness disclosed that after becoming prime minister, he personally benefited from Bovell’s counsel, saying the veteran attorney would write notes and later send WhatsApp messages offering advice.
“I appreciated that because, in many ways, he was fulfilling his duty as a Jamaican,” Holness said, noting that Bovell wanted to see the Government succeed.
Beyond public life, the prime minister highlighted Bovell’s distinguished private-sector career, describing him as one of Jamaica’s top corporate lawyers and a respected board member of GraceKennedy.
RARE INTEGRITY
Delivering the eulogy, attorney-at-law John Leiba described Bovell as “a gentleman of rare integrity”, whose influence was felt “not by volume, but by values”.
Born on October 7, 1938, Bovell distinguished himself early at DeCarteret Preparatory School and Munro College, excelling academically and athletically. A defining schoolboy story recounted how, as captain of his cricket team facing defeat, he bowled from both ends when others refused, an act symbolic of a lifelong philosophy: when responsibility calls, you step forward.
His academic journey led to St John’s College, Cambridge University, England, where he earned a master’s degree in law and placed in Class I in the Bar examinations. Called to the Bars of Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad and the Middle Temple in London in 1961, he began private practice soon after and joined Dunn, Cox & Orrett, becoming a partner within a year.
Former Prime Minister Edward Seaga once summarised Bovell’s reputation simply: “He is one man with whom you can safely leave your wallet.”
“That trust,” Leiba said, “was the true measure of his greatness.”
Leiba recounted episodes that underscored Bovell’s calm authority, including diffusing a volatile dispute involving unpaid construction workers and navigating politically turbulent moments with remarkable steadiness.
LEGACY AT WORK, HOME
Within his firm, he helped steer strategic decisions that ensured its long-term survival during economic downturn. As attorney for GraceKennedy, he was instrumental in major negotiations, including securing worldwide rights to the GraceKennedy name.
His leadership, the eulogy noted, was rooted in confidence, humanity and moral strength.
Yet it was at home where Christopher Bovell’s legacy resonated most deeply.
He leaves his wife, Michelle, and six children, Don, Denise, Terry-Ann, Susan, Paula and Peter, along with grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
His daughter Denise recalled his gentle counsel during family disagreements. When she once complained about her mother, he smiled and advised her to “turn the other cheek”, prompting her to marvel, “Yup, that’s the gentleman my father was.”
She described her parents as a “power couple”, well-travelled, socially engaged, and inseparable. When he returned home from work, she said, his first call would be: “Hi Denise…WHERE IS MUMMY!”
“He went down in style,” she added, recalling that even in his final days he maintained the dignity and independence that defined him.
“I wish I could, but I’m tired now, but I did it my way!”
TEACHING BY EXAMPLE
Terry described her father as “a pillar of strength, yet always a soft place to land”, while Susan said he taught integrity “not through lectures, but through the way he lived his life”.
“He showed me what it means to be a good person,” she added.
The family spoke of his intellectual curiosity, his lifelong love of learning, and his belief that “silver and gold will pass away, but a good education will never decay”.
And then there was his sweet tooth, legendary, they joked; a mischievous swipe of icing at celebrations, sugar being his quiet rebellion against an otherwise disciplined existence.
Christopher David Rhys Bovell’s life traversed eras of transformation in Jamaica’s political and economic landscape. As senator, attorney, adviser and patriarch, he strengthened institutions quietly but decisively.
On Tuesday, those gathered did not merely mourn his passing. They celebrated a life anchored in integrity, service and love, a life that left Jamaica steadier than it found it.