By Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter
ONE OF Jamaica's most prominent educators and public administration experts, Professor Gladstone Mills, is dead.
He passed away yesterday morning at his home in Acadia Gardens in St. Andrew, from coronary problems. He was 84.
"It was a bit of a shock," said his sister-in-law Sonia Mills. She said, "He died peacefully and I think he was very happy that the West Indies (cricket team) won a match against England on Saturday."
Jackie Hendriks, president of the Jamaica Cricket Association, said that Professor Mills, also known as 'Charlie', was one of the longest-serving members of the board and gave tremendous service to cricket. Mr. Hendriks said Professor Mills had been a cricketer and played an integral role in the development of the sport in Jamaica.
A BIG LOSS
His death is "a big loss to Jamaica and to the Caribbean," said Professor Rupert Lewis of the University of the West Indies (UWI). Professor Lewis said, "His biggest contribution to the nation's development was seeing the birth of the Electoral Advisory Committee (EAC) and the non-partisan functions of the EAC."
Professor Mills had a distinguished career at the UWI, where he was a senior lecturer from 1960 to 1965 and professor from 1965 to 1990 and, thereafter, a professor emeritus. During his time at the university, he introduced the bachelor's, master's and doctorate programmes in public administration.
He was also head of the Department of Government from 1963 to 1980 and dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences from 1967 to 1970.
"He was a person who was able to deal fairly and justly with his colleagues," Professor Lewis said. "Particularly in the 1970s, he was able to ensure that no one was victimised because of their ideals and he guided many young lecturers."