Premier Ewart Brown has expressed his condolences to the family of the late Mr. Albert (Peter) Smith, a founder of the Progressive Labour Party (PLP).

Mr. Smith, died on Tuesday, aged 80, after a long illness.

The Premier said: “Mr. Smith was one of the brave few men and women who considered that Bermuda needed to have some form of representative Government that reflected the needs of all Bermudians.

“He along with people like Rio Richardson and Mose Allen defied considerable odds to breathe life into the Progressive Labour Party.”

The Premier also indicated that the Party had suffered a double loss with the passing of Dorothy Wilson who “stood shoulder to shoulder with her late husband Robert Austin Wilson in the early days of the Bermuda Industrial Union.

“Mrs. Wilson was the ultimate supporter and helpmate for her husband and without her, his successes could not have been realised.”

Mrs. Wilson died at the weekend. The late Mrs. Wilson is the grandmother of Senator Kim Wilson.

The Premier concluded: “Our thoughts and prayers are with these families at this difficult time and we in their wider family of this Progressive Labour Party Government remain ever-grateful for the immense contribution they have made to Bermuda and her people.”

Meanwhile United Bermuda Party leader Wayne Furbert has expressed his condolences to the family and church of Bishop Gilbert Earl Patterson, Presiding Bishop of the Church of God In Christ, who died earlier this week.

Many Bermudians would have known Bishop Patterson for his weekly television shown on TBN.

“Bishop Patterson was an inspirational leader,” said Mr. Furbert. “He appealed to all people and one of his themes, ‘Be healed, be delivered and be set free’, speaks to his universal message.”