MONTEGO BAY, St James — Tributes continued to pour in Thursday for well-known Montego Bay businessman Robert Russell, a day after the country was rocked by news that he had died.
“He was a leader, a natural leader and we miss him a lot,” managing director of Round Hill Hotel and Villas Josef Forstmayr told the Jamaica Observer Thursday.
The hotelier spoke of the huge impact Russell has had on Montego Bay, a city he made his home as an adult.
“He helped us when we lost Reggae Sunsplash when Reggae Sunsplash opted to move to Kingston. We in Montego Bay realised we had to maintain a major reggae festival to keep our resort area remaining relevant in the summer in the reggae music industry. It was Robert Russell and us in the hotel industry that got together; but it was his leadership that formed the new Sumfest, together with Godfrey Dyer,” Forstmayr said.
At the time of his death, Russell was deputy chairman of Downsound Entertainment, which now stages what is often referred to as the Caribbean’s biggest reggae show. He was instrumental in the commissioning of portraits of musical icons for the perimeter wall that surrounds the show’s venue, Catherine Hall Entertainment Complex. On the day he died, he had a discussion with Montego Bay Mayor Richard Vernon about his plans to complete the portraits.
After Thursday’s monthly meeting of the St James Municipal Corporation, which was paused to observe a moment of silence in Russell’s honour, Vernon suggested that Russell’s image be added to the wall.
“I believe that a befitting gesture and symbol of his contribution is to ensure that he is immortalised on that reggae wall of fame,” the mayor told the Observer.
“We will be speaking with the necessary persons to ensure that his contribution is reflected in Montego Bay in that way,” he continued.
Russell died Wednesday afternoon at Hospiten medical facility after ailing for some time.
“He has contributed significantly to the development of our entertainment sector here in Montego Bay and to reggae music globally through the biggest show on Earth, Reggae Sumfest,” the mayor said.
Russell is also known as the force behind Pier One open-air seaside restaurant which he opened in the 1980s. Mayor Vernon’s division includes the downtown area where the restaurant is located.
“He is a true Montegonian, a businessman and an icon of the city and he will be missed for all that he has done and for the person he is. We have lost a good man, our condolence and support goes out to his family and loved ones,” Vernon said.
There had been many other tributes, earlier in the day. Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett was among those who expressed deep sorrow at the passing of the prominent Montego Bay businessman known to his close friends as ‘Ducksie’.
“He was a true pioneer and a force to be reckoned with in the tourism, film and entertainment industries. His contributions to the development of Montego Bay and Jamaica as a whole are immeasurable,” said Bartlett.
Throughout the years, Russell has also contributed significantly to the public sector, and is a former chairman of the board of the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo). In 2017, he was appointed a member of the Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander (CD) for his outstanding contribution to the music, entertainment, tourism and film industries. He was also a recipient of the 2017 Abe Issa Lifetime Achievement Award from the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association.
Shadow spokespersons on tourism Senator Janice Allen hailed Russell as “an outstanding Montego Bay businessman and a giant in the entertainment and tourism industries”.
“He helped to solidify Montego Bay on the map with the popular eatery and club, Pier One that continues to be a must go for visitors and Jamaicans alike. His family’s foray into the accommodations sector of tourism with the acquisition of Hotel Montego that has now become Deja hotel, showed his commitment to our city’s development and confidence in its tourism product,” she added.
Dr Deborah Hickling Gordon, Opposition spokesperson on cultural and creative industries, lauded Russell as a man who got things done.
“Beyond playing a significant role in developing the entertainment industry through his various investments in enterprise, he was a believer in the sector and of the true value of its people. Robert Russell was a man of action. His passing is a major loss to the Jamaican entertainment and business communities, with many remembering his legacy as a leader in the entertainment industry,” she said.