Former governor Stuart Jack dies

(CMR) 72-year-old retired British diplomat and former governor of the Cayman Islands Stuart Duncan Macdonald Jack CVO passed away it has been revealed. He served as governor from 2005 until 2009.

Jack was born on 18 June 1949, Stuart Jack was educated at at Westcliff High School for Boys; and then Merton College, Oxford. He joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1972 after serving in Laos prior. He also took posts in Tokyo and Mosco before taking a secondment to the Bank of England from 1982-1985.

In 1989, Jack served as the FCO's Diplomatic Service Inspector, before being posted to St. Petersburg as Consul-General from 1992 to 1995. He then served as Head of the FCO's Research Analysts cadre from 1996-1999, returning to Tokyo as Minister. After a brief spell back in the office in 2003-2004, Jack took his last posting as Governor of the Cayman Islands in November 2005, retiring in December 2009.

Jack was appointed as a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in 1994 after the Queen's State Visit to St. Petersburg.

He served as Chief Scout of The Scout Association of the Cayman Islands since October 2006. His tenure was tainted by the now infamous Operation Tempura saga which saw Grand Court Judge Alex Henderson falsely arrested and then vindicated with a multi-million settlement. The ill-fated investigation was said to have cost the people of the Cayman Islands upwards of $10 million.

He was also in Cayman at the time of the passage of the new constitution.

He also started the first blog for a governor in the jurisdiction.

Both the governor and premier issued statements on hearing the new of his passing:

H.E. The Governor’s Statement on Passing of Former Governor Stuart Jack CVO

I was very saddened to hear about the passing of former Governor Stuart Jack CVO who served as the Governor of the Cayman Islands from 2005 until 2009.

It was towards the end of Mr Jack’s tenure as Governor, in 2009, that the present Constitution came into effect. Governor Jack said that facilitating the modernised Constitution was the highlight of his four years in the Cayman Islands.

In informing us, Mr Jacks’ daughter said Mr Jack had developed a deep fondness for the Cayman Islands and the people of Cayman.

On behalf of everyone in the Cayman Islands I send my deepest condolences to Governor Jack’s family and friends at this sad time.

Premier’s Statement on Passing of Former Governor Jack

GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands – Today our representative to the United Kingdom received the sad news of the passing of Stuart Jack, CVO, who served as our Governor from 2005-2009.

It was during Mr Jack’s final year as Governor, that the modernised Constitution was approved by the people of the Cayman Islands in the first ever national referendum.

This achievement, of which he was justly proud, was the culmination of years of effort by the elected Government and civil society- supported by the Office of the Governor.

He was also the first Cayman Islands Governor to break with the established tradition of wearing the Governor’s ceremonial white uniform and hat, ushering in the modern era for subsequent Governors.

On behalf of the Government and People of the Cayman Islands, I extend heartfelt sympathies to Mr. Jack’s family.