Prime Minister Gaston Browne announced the death of Mary-Clare Hurst, a former General Secretary of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP), during the swearing-in ceremony of his new Cabinet. According to Antigua News Room, Browne told the assembled audience that he had just received word of her passing.
The Prime Minister described Hurst as a "dear friend" and a longstanding figure within the Labour Party, calling her death shocking. He extended condolences to her family and loved ones, and said the party would stand in support during what he described as a difficult period. He expressed hope that her soul would "rest in peace and rise in glory" before continuing with the official proceedings.
Hurst was a central figure in the ABLP and made history as the first woman to serve as the party's General Secretary. She also held several senior public roles, among them Senator, Leader of Government Business, and Minister of State in Tourism and Investment. She previously served as Chair of the Board of the Antigua and Barbuda Port Authority.
Born on November 6, 1962, in the Villa area, Hurst was deeply rooted in community life from an early age. She was actively involved in sports, including national basketball, and later moved into administration, holding key roles within the Antigua and Barbuda Basketball Association.
Hurst earned a Bachelor of Arts in Management and Administration from the City University of New York and a Master of Science in Public Administration from Pacific Western University. She also worked at the Mission of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations in New York.
Within the Labour Party, she rose through the ranks from youth arm leadership to become a senior party figure, playing a key role in election campaigns and governance following the ABLP's return to office in 2014.
