The Minister of Foreign Affairs E P Chet Greene announced the passing of Dr Patrick Lewis, who served as the country’s Ambassador to the United States and the Organization of American States (OAS), as well as Ambassador to the United Nations.
Dr Lewis passed away in the United States on January 5 after a short illness. He was 85.
In a release, Minister Greene expressed his condolences, stating that Dr Lewis’s diplomatic service was marked by dedication, having served as Ambassador to the United States and the OAS from 1992 to 1995, and as Ambassador to the United Nations from 1995 to 2004.
Before his diplomatic career, Dr Patrick Lewis was an academic in the United States. Among the posts he held was Professor of History at the Hampton Institute in Virginia.
In honour of the late Dr Patrick Lewis, Minister Greene announced that the flags at the Antigua and Barbuda Embassy in the United States and at the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York have been lowered to half-mast for the entire week.
“It is appropriate that the Foreign Ministry pay tribute to one of our fallen, who, in life, served our nation in two important international arenas.”
The Minister expressed his deepest sympathies to Dr Lewis’s family, friends, and colleagues and added that the Government of Antigua and Barbuda will be represented at Dr Lewis’ memorial service by its current Ambassador to the US and the OAS, Sir Ronald Sanders.