Sir Gerald Watt, Antigua’s Former Speaker, Dies at 86

Sir Gerald Owen Anderson Watt, KCN, KC, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives and former Attorney General of Antigua and Barbuda, has died at the age of 86 while receiving medical treatment, officials confirmed Saturday.

• Age: 86 (born December 19, 1938)
• Positions held: Attorney General; Speaker of the House; Minister of National Security, Labour & Legal Affairs
• Parliamentary service: Represented St. John’s Rural East (1971–1976)
• Legal honours: King’s Counsel; head of Watt, Dorsett, Hewlett Law
• Speaker tenure: Appointed June 25, 2014; resigned November 2024

The story

Born on December 19, 1938, Sir Gerald Watt built a six-decade career as one of Antigua and Barbuda’s most prominent legal minds and public servants. He first entered Parliament in 1971, serving St. John’s Rural East and holding the office of Attorney General while also overseeing national security, labour and legal affairs.

After decades in private practice — including leading the law firm Watt, Dorsett, Hewlett — and serving as president of the Antigua and Barbuda Bar Association and chairman of the Electoral Commission, Sir Gerald returned to parliamentary life as Speaker in 2014, a post he held until his resignation in November 2024. In September 2024 he announced his intention to retire at the end of the parliamentary session.

The legacy

Sir Gerald Watt’s public record is marked by long service across law and governance. Key achievements include:

1. Attorney General & Ministerial leadership: Early in his career he shaped legal and security policy while representing St. John’s Rural East (1971–1976).
2. Speaker of the House: Appointed in 2014, he presided over the House for more than a decade, including being re-elected in the nation’s first-ever secret ballot for Speaker in 2023.
3. Legal stewardship: As a King’s Counsel and head of a leading law firm, and through roles such as president of the Bar Association and Electoral Commission chair, he influenced Antigua and Barbuda’s legal institutions for generations.

Context and controversies

Sir Gerald’s later years in public office included a contentious 2023 season when the United Progressive Party raised allegations of partisanship and the Opposition indicated plans for a motion of no confidence. The period included high-profile parliamentary disputes, such as the suspension of an MP in May 2023, which intensified scrutiny of the Speaker’s rulings.

Social proof — reactions and tributes

Tributes and messages of condolence poured in from the legal community and political circles. Dr. David Dorsett, a partner at Watt’s former firm, described him as “one of a kind.” Colleagues, former parliamentary colleagues and members of the Bar reflected on his decades of service and the institutional influence he wielded in Antigua and Barbuda.

Formal announcements from government offices and further statements from political parties were expected as national leaders respond to the news.

Details on funeral arrangements and public memorials have not been released at the time of publication. Sir Gerald would have turned 87 on December 19.