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R.I.P: Harold Hoyte (Photo credit: The Nation YouTube channel)

HAROLD HOYTE, one of the founders of the Barbados Nation newspaper has died.

The Nation reported that Hyde died on Sunday (May 12) after dealing with ill health for some time. He was 78 years old.

Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley said: “Barbados has lost one of its great patriots and I have lost a dear friend. It was with the most profound sense of personal sadness that I learnt earlier today of the passing of my dear friend and a true builder of Barbados Harold Fitzherbert Hoyte ar the age of 78.

While Harold had been ailing for some time and the nature and extent of his medical situations served as a fair notice that his end might be near, that knowledge has not been nearly enough to blunt the impact of the news for our country. It has truly lost a person who has contributed more than his fair share of the development of post independence Barbados.

“It would be impossible to separate the name Harold Hoyte to the path of journalism in Barbados and the Caribbean over the past 60 years. Equally it would be impossible to separate him from the story of success of the enterprise known as the nation newspaper.

“There’s no Barbadian who would fail to recognise the critical role that the nation has played in contributing to the safeguarding of barbados’ stability since its independence.”

Hoyte started his distinguished career in journalism as a copywriter at the Barbados Advocate in 1959.

He later moved to Canada where he worked for the Global and Mail,. The Toronto Telegram and editor of the Contrast.

The veteran journalist returned to Barbados and founded the Nation newspaper in 1973 along with several other colleagues.

He retired in December 2006 and spent much of his time researching and writing several books.

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