Walter Roban, the former Deputy Premier and Minister of Home Affairs, maintained discipline and collective responsibility during his tenure in politics, the Premier said yesterday.

David Burt said his former deputy always placed the Progressive Labour Party above personal ambitions.

He said: “Walter has always chosen service over self, as at many times he puts himself second, as he knows that the party should always come first.”

The Premier was speaking at an appreciation luncheon held at CedarBridge Academy in honour of the veteran statesman, who retired at the General Election in February after more than four decades of service.

In his tribute, the Premier said the former Pembroke East Central MP’s career in politics should not only be defined by “what he’s done but also how he’s done it”.

He said: “Walter’s story in the Progressive Labour Party is woven into the very fabric of our party’s modern history.”

While detailing Mr Roban’s political life, Mr Burt highlighted his deep loyalty to the PLP.

He said Mr Roban championed many environmental policies within Bermuda’s political sphere “long before these issues became global priorities”.

Mr Burt said that when he joined the PLP in 2004, Mr Roban was already deeply embedded within the party’s fabric, and he counted himself fortunate to work with him during his early days in politics.

He said Mr Roban assisted him in navigating the realities of the island’s politics, leading by examples he could not forget.

To cheers from the audience, the Premier said: “I know there are many others, like me, who would not be where we are in this party today without the mentorship of Walter Roban.”

He said the former Minister of Health also played a key role in shaping policies that protected workers’ rights while they strengthened communities.

Mr Burt added: “What is important to note is that, as a driving force of our environmental policies, his vision and persistence has left a lasting mark.

“He understood early the importance of the environment, renewable energy and sustainable development, and he also felt that these were necessary for Bermuda’s long-term survival and prosperity.”

The Premier hailed him as a man of the people. Mr Burt recalled tendering his resignation from the party in February 2016 after a particularly heated meeting.

He said that, shortly after he handed in his resignation as the Shadow Minister of Finance, Mr Roban met with him for more than an hour.

Mr Burt said: “He brought me back from that decision. In that conversation, he reminded me about loyalty, about patience and the bigger picture.

“He reminded me that change is made from within and that walking away is rarely the answer.”

The Premier said he cherished their conversation, and that without Mr Roban’s support he would not have become the party’s leader.

Mr Roban joined the PLP in the late 1980s as a party officer and helped to shape its policies, strategies and goals.

He assisted the PLP to its landside victory in 1998 and worked since in by-election and General Election campaigns.

He was appointed to the Senate in 2003 under the former PLP premier Alex Scott.

Mr Roban won his first seat in the House of Assembly during the General Election of 2007, when he succeeded union stalwart Ottiwell Simmons as MP of Pembroke East Central.

Mr Roban went on to serve in several cabinets and shadow cabinets, and took on the role of Deputy Premier in 2017.

He announced his retirement in July 2024, stating: “It was never meant to be a lifelong job, and I am now at the point where I am ready to make a shift.”

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