Above: St George’s Grenada (CJ Photo)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Grenada is mourning the loss of former Prime Minister George Ignatius Brizan, who passed away Saturday.

Brizan was the founding member and former leader of the current ruling National Democratic Congress, and served as PM in 1995. He was also a longtime educator.

“He was not just a teacher of History and Economics for students at the Grenada Boys’ Secondary School,” said Arley Gill, Press Officer for the NDC. “He also was a mentor to them, raising their level of social and political consciousness about local, regional and international issues.”

George Ignatius Brizan, CBE

Brizan’s career spread across disciplines, from serving as Agriculture Minister, Finance Minister and Trade Minister and teaching and serving as vice principal at the Institute for Further Education.

“Certainly, Mr Brizan was a a national icon and must, at some point be bestowed a national homegrown award,” Gill said.

Brizan was appointed a Commander of the British Empire in 2009. He was 69.