Former Barbadian Prime Minister, Owen Arthur died in his home country just after midnight, according to an official statement from the Government of Barbados. He was 70-years-old.

Arthur was hospitalised for over a week after suffering a heart attack.

According to Nation News of Barbados, Arthur led Barbados as Prime Minister for an unprecedented three consecutive terms from 1994 to 2008, having served as Member of Parliament for the constituency of St Peter from 1984 to 2013.

In 2013, Arthur announced that election would be his last after the Barbados Labour Party was defeated.

Since retiring from political office, Arthur was conferred with the title of Professor of Practice: Economics of Development by the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus in November 2018 and in January 2020, was appointed chairman of the Board of LIAT the Caribbean Airline. He led a Commonwealth Observer team to the Guyana elections earlier this year.

He is survived by wife Julie and daughters Sabrina and Leah.

The Government of Barbados extended sincerest condolences to his wife, children and extended family and announced that MP for St Peter, Colin Jordan, would be coordinating the funeral arrangements.

There will be a period of national mourning for three days. All flags will be flown at half-mast.

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