ANTONY ‘TONY’ HART OJ, CD, JP
ANTONY ‘TONY’ Hart, OJ, JP, passed away on August 20, 2020, at the age of 87, in his hometown of Montego Bay. A seventh-generation Jamaican, Tony was an entrepreneur and businessman of many accomplishments, most notably conceiving and developing Montego Freeport, a catalyst for the development of Montego Bay, into the economic engine of western Jamaica. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Sheila (nee Desnoes), four children, Wendy, Mark, Bruce and Blaise, and eight grandchildren, Sofia, Emma, Max, Jordan, Maya, Frank, Ethan and Cameron.
Tony was born in Kingston in 1932 but grew up in Montego Bay and was always a passionate Montegonian. He attended Mt Alvernia Prep and then boarding school at Munro College – the youngest boy in attendance at the time. He did well academically, receiving colours in three sports: shooting, tennis and gymnastics. Throughout his life, Tony attributed Munro College with being a great influence on setting the values for his life. Other early role models were his grandfather Edmund Hart, who was known for his generosity both to the poor and to entrepreneurs, and his uncle, Ansel Hart, who was a great intellect, historian and an early advocate of an organic approach to the earth and farming.
Tony left Munro College at the age of 17 and journeyed to Canada in an effort to earn money to support himself in university.
His first job in Toronto was at the Parker Pen factory and then as a summer fishing guide at the Lake Louise Hotel, which fostered a lifelong love of fly fishing. He attended Queens University for one term, playing tennis for the university, but decided to return to Jamaica with a keen excitement to get a start in business.
Following a six-generation family tradition of shopkeeping in Montego Bay, Tony began work with his father in Hart’s Hardware Store. In 1951, he met the president of Capitol Records, on Doctor’s Cave Beach, who suggested he get into the record business. Following this advice, he founded Jamaica’s first record manufacturing company, Records Limited in Kingston.
While working in Kingston, Tony negotiated the rights to a subagency for the dealership of Ford cars and founded NIG (Northern Industrial Garage) in Montego Bay. After expanding and establishing branches in St Ann’s Bay, Savanna-la-Mar and Bogue, 80 per cent of all the cars sold in the west of Jamaica were Ford automobiles. Later, he expanded the business to include the franchise for Avis Jamaica.
Tony’s most significant business accomplishment was the development of Montego Freeport, a deepwater harbour in Montego Bay. The completion of the project would demonstrate his tenacity and true mettle and, after considerable challenges, the Government finally approved the project in 1967. His lifelong dream was fulfilled when the first cruise ship, Sunward of Norwegian Cruise Lines, arrived in 1968. The Freeport development, the largest of its kind in Jamaica at the time, ultimately led to the creation of 350 acres of land and four ship berths, and is now home to a booming industrial estate, a free zone, upscale residential complexes, numerous resort offerings, a beach club and the Montego Bay Yacht Club.
From 1980 to 1989, Tony was chairman of the national airline, Air Jamaica. His tenure was noteworthy as he restored the airline to profitability. In addition, he brought the world’s fastest commercial plane, the Concord, to Jamaican skies,
Tony’s most significant business accomplishment was the development of Montego Freeport, a deepwater harbour in Montego Bay.
tripling business on the New York leg.
Tony was also an accomplished farmer, owning many properties across the island at various times through his life. He purchased and restored the Covey and Good Hope properties in Trelawny, now the parish’s premier resort attraction. He also owned Chippenham Park farm for cattle rearing; the 1,000-acre Woodstock farm in Westmoreland, also for cattle; a small citrus farm in Cambridge, St James; a joint venture fish farm at Brumdec, and banana farms including Virgin Valley, Laden and a property at Springvale on the St James/Trelawny border, which he converted to sugar cane production.
INVOLVED IN POLITICS
In addition to business, Tony was heavily involved in politics and service to Jamaica for much of his life. He started in public life in 1959 as the campaign manager for Dr Herbert Eldemire, who was elected to Parliament in 1962 and later became the minister of health. Tony became a parish councillor for six years and then ran for Parliament for the Jamaica Labour Party in 1972, but lost the election in the landslide that brought Michael Manley to power. He served as the chairman of the Coconut Industry Board, Caymanas Track Limited and the Montego Bay branch of the Branson School of Entrepreneurship, mentoring many graduates of the school. Tony undertook the massive renovation of Doctor’s Cave Bathing Club, which was given to Montego Bay by his great-grandfather, Alexander McCatty. The club is now a thriving attraction in Montego Bay and revenue from its operations funds many charitable causes throughout St James.
In retirement, Tony took on the financial support and mentorship of several preparatory schools. One of these, St Mary’s Preparatory School in Montpelier, St James, grew from 70 to 430 students with his help and gained tremendously in academic status. He was passionate about mentoring the next generation of Jamaicans and has always generously given his time and guidance to all who asked. Tony received many awards, including Jamaica’s thirdhighest honour, the Order of Jamaica. He was the first person from western Jamaica to be inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, having also graced the walls of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
He has been an honouree of the American Friends of Jamaica and has received honorary degrees from The University of the West Indies, University of Technology in Kingston, and the Northern Caribbean University.
Tony was known for his love of family, for his vision and most of all, in spite of all of his accomplishments, for his humility.