The justice system was saddened by the death of retired Jamaican high court judge, Boyd Carey. The jurist died at his home in Florida, United States, at the age of 85 years, after a brief bout of illness.

"Justice Carey's judgments continue to be one of the most cited in the Caribbean. The country and the Caribbean have lost a brilliant legal mind," Ruth, one of his daughters, told The Gleaner.

"He was a loving, caring father who supported all the endeavours of his children and grandchildren in their personal development. He was a man of his word, independent minded, non-judgemental, liberal and fair minded. ... He died peacefully surrounded by his family, the Carey generation, including wife (Beverly), children and grandchildren."

Born in Kingston, Jamaica on January 1, 1930 and educated at Kingston College (KC) and the University of London, Carey served 32 years in the judiciary of the Caribbean as a judge of the Court of Appeal in Jamaica, The Bahamas and Belize. He also sat as a judge of the Supreme Court and acted as arbitrator on many occasions.

He was associate tutor for 25 years at the Normal Manley Law School, Jamaica, and the Eugene Dupuch Law School in The Bahamas.

The noted jurist was also an active member of the Jamaican Bar Association, the KC Old Boys' Association and the Kingston Cricket Club. He also served as KC's board chairman.

Minister of Justice, Senator Mark Golding expressed sadness at Carey's passing and extended condolences to his family, friends and loved ones.

"Justice Boyd Carey had an erudite legal mind, from which flowed his sharp wit and a steady stream of memorable turns of phrase. He has earned his place as an icon of the Jamaican judiciary, a judge who set the highest standards of applied jurisprudence. I had the great privilege of being tutored by Justice Carey at the Norman Manley Law School, where he played a foundational role in shaping the minds and professional attitudes of upcoming generations of attorneys. He will be fondly remembered and sadly missed," Golding said.

The Jamaican Bar Association president, Donovan Walker, said Carey was highly regarded as a judge of the highest standards, ethics and probity, adding that the Caribbean has lost a legal giant.

Call For National Honour
President of Jamaica's Court of Appeal, Justice Seymour Panton, is calling on the Government to award Carey a national honour, expressing disappointment that it was not done while he was alive.

"I am disappointed that recommendations that I made for him to be honoured have not been accepted so far," Panton said.

Panton said it was only last week that he again made another recommendation for the retired judge to be awarded a national honour. He is hoping that the recommendation will be accepted, as Carey was one of the best legal minds in the Caribbean.

In the meantime, Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn described Carey as an excellent jurist. She expressed shock that "this giant among men was never recognised by any government".

In 2010, a court removed Carey as chairman of the commission of enquiry that looked into the collapse of the financial sector in the 1990s. The Judicial Review Court ordered his removal because it found that he was a FINSAC debtor.

Ruth said because good always conquers evil, her father told his wife Beverly, "Do not worry, this is how life turns the card," in regards to the FINSAC issue.